Vindictive RUC raid
By Laura Friel
Vindictive vandalism, is how Sinn Fein Councillor Sean McGirr
described a raid by the RUC which has left an Armagh man's new home
uninhabitable.
Bathroom and kitchen facilities were smashed leaving burst water
pipes to flood the property. The fireplace was ripped out in what can
only be described as a frenzied attack. ``It is clear from the nature
of the damage that the RUC were not searching for anything, they were
merely intent on rendering the property uninhabitable,'' said McGirr.
The RUC actions followed the allocation of the house by the Housing
Executive to a locally know Sinn Fein election worker, Jim McSorley.
McSorley described the raid as the ``RUC's idea of a house warming
party''.
The RUC denied responsibility for the damage, claiming that property
had been vandalised before their arrival on Tuesday morning. ``This is
nonsense,'' said the local Sinn Fein councillor, ``there is currently a
refurbishment scheme in the area and workmen at the scene said the
house had not been vandalised prior to the arrival of the RUC.''
A neighbour who had been disturbed by the sound of hammering next
door was told to ``mind his own business'' by an RUC officer when he
approached the house during the raid.
A complaint has been lodged with a solicitor and photographic
evidence and witness accounts of the RUC's actions are to be
presented to the Patten Commission, said Councillor McGirr. ``Once
again the RUC have illustrated by their actions their total contempt
for the nationalist community. The RUC is an unacceptable sectarian
force and must be disbanded.''
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)