Republican News · Thursday 31 January 2002

Low flying helicopter scare

Newry/Armagh Assembly member Conor Murphy has condemned the actions of a British Army helicopter which flew dangerously low for several miles along the main road from Newry to Camlough.

On Thursday night, 6 June, a young woman driving alone at around 9pm had a very frightening experience when a British Army helicopter swooped low over her car travelling on the main road from Derramore House to Camlough village. The helicopter continued to fly low and remained only yards above her car until she reached Camlough.

"I received a phone call from this young woman who was left physically upset and distraught because of this experience," said Murphy.

"Following this incident, residents have complained that the same helicopter then moved on and flew low over the rooftops above Oliver Plunkett Park, Camlough for several hours until near midnight.

"This incident is indicative of a pattern of harassment carried out in recent months by British Army and PSNI in South Armagh. People throughout the area have complained of hugely increased checkpoints, British army foot patrols and helicopter activity. Sinn Féin has compiled a dossier of such incidents and will be presenting this to the Foreign Affairs Department in Dublin."