Over the top RUC
Sinn Féin has described an RUC operation in Armagh City in which
one man and four children were arrested as a complete `over the
top response' and has accused the RUC of brutality towards the
youths. The party says that the manner in which the RUC behaved
was absolutely disgraceful.
These comments came in response to an RUC operation on Thursday
night, 8 February, at the Ring Road. At a time when Catholic
homes in North Belfast are being targeted in nightly attacks a
major security operation was mounted to arrest youths with pellet
guns. Not all of these youths were arrested in the same spot and
it is clear that the RUC went looking for targets.
However, this was only the start of the fiasco. It seems that the
RUC were working on some form of intelligence as they were lying
in wait. This intelligence was wrong, as it was should also have
informed them that they were dealing mostly with 14- and
15-year-olds. They pounced on some of these youths, dragging them
into the tunnel where they assaulted them. The youths were
handcuffed, processed and taken away to Gough Barracks. From
here, these youths were held for almost two days. Such an
experience is bound to have a traumatic effect on youngsters of
that age.
This on its own was disgraceful but there was more to come. Not
content with assaulting these youths and terrorising them at
Gough Barracks, the RUC then set about a misinformation campaign.
It was reported that five men were arrested with guns. This was a
deliberate lie. Four of these `men' were in fact juveniles.
Following the arrests, the homes of these youths were raided and
property taken. In a major operation involving paratroopers and
the RUC, the area around McAnearney's lane was sealed off until
nearly lunchtime the following day. Reports were deliberately
circulated claiming that guns, pipe bombs and explosives were
found. It is Sinn Féin's belief that the RUC were behind this
misinformation in order to cover up their actions.
``Parents need to remind their children of the danger they are
placign themselves in by having these pellet guns,'' said Sinn
Féin Assembly member Pat McNamee. ``Nevertheless, the RUC's
response was typically aggressive and inappropriate. They do not
behave like a police force, but break and bend their own rules at
will and are totally unaccountable.''
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