Republican News · Thursday 17 January 2002

Helicopters harass South Down

South Down Sinn Féin Assembly member Mick Murphy has received complaints from residents about low flying helicopters in the Mayobridge area in the early hours of Thursday morning, 10 January.

"One resident contacted me to say that her son, who has special needs, was deeply disturbed and frightened by one or more helicopters flying low over the rooftops in the Lisbane Park area," said Murphy. "The noise generated by this helicopter caused such confusion that some residents in nearby Craignamona were convinced that it had crashed in nearby fields.

"Local people are asking why this is happening in this area. There is certainly no security excuse for this level of military activity. I am demanding that these night time flights stop and that British soldiers be withdrawn to barracks immediately. If the British government are serious about implementing a rolling programme of demilitarisation, why are the people of South Down now experiencing an increase in military activity?"