Republican News · Thursday 16 May 2002

Delay in informing SF reps of loyalist death threats

Davy Hyland, Chairperson Newry & Mourne District Council, and other Sinn Féin councillors have been contacted by the RUC/PSNI to inform them that they have received death threats to their lives.

Hyland told An Phoblacht that on Friday night 10 May and again on Saturday morning the PSNI contacted him to say they had received death threats to the lives of Sinn Féin councillors. This threat, it emerged, has existed since 25 April, following an attack on a former Sinn Féin councillor's home in Belfast. "Despite the fact that loyalists have been responsible for planting over 500 pipe bombs in the last 12 months, the PSNI have adopted a very casual and negligent manner in contacting me and my fellow Sinn Féin councillors," said Hyland.

"The time lapse involved in contacting all councillors has put our lives and the well-being of our families at serious risk of injury or death. In fact, not all councillors have been contacted to date. This immediate threat to our lives emanates from the Red Hand Commando loyalist group and brings into question the very existence of the loyalist ceasefire.

"No urgency was shown in contacting us about these death threats. However helicopters carrying large numbers of British troops and members of the PSNI clad in riot uniform were dispatched in recent weeks in South Armagh to arrest people for a civil offence or indeed to drag people from their homes only to be released several hours later without charge. The PSNI have once again demonstrated a sectarian and biased attitude when dealing with loyalist threats against republicans."