Republican News · Thursday 23 January 2003

Holy Cross priest receives death threats

Father Aiden Troy, the Chairman of the Board of Governors at Holy Cross school, has revealed that he has received "two serious death threats" from unionist paramilitaries in the last few days.

Speaking in Dublin at the Forum for Peace and Reconcilliation, Father Troy said the threats followed the discovery of a pipe bomb fastened to the gates of the school on 6 January. The UDA, operating under the cover name of the Red Hand Defenders, claimed responsibilty for the attempted bombing.

"The most recent (threat) came from the PSNI who, acting on intelligence, told me I was to be killed within two days," said Father Troy. "However, the Board of Governors will not and will never take its agenda from anybody who makes those kinds of remarks."

Father Troy is one of ten nationalists in the Ardoyne area of North Belfast who have been told in recent weeks their lives are under direct threat from loyalists.