PSNI raids in north Belfast

The PSNI police mounted raids in Ardoyne on Tuesday against an anti-drugs group which they say is linked to republican militants.

It was claimed that the PSNI “ransacked” the homes of five Ardoyne residents, including the homes of widows, the elderly and infirm.

The group which calls itself ‘Concerned Families Against Drugs’, described the raids as a crackdown on its attempts to force drug-dealers out of business.

“So a few drug dealers get their feathers ruffled and its back to the draconian days of old,” the group said in a statement.

And i comments apparently directed against Sinn Féin and Community Restorative Justice, the CFAD said the local community had been threatened by “well-paid community groups” and abandoned by political leaders.

Last week, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams called on the smaller republican organisations to repudiate criminal actions, which he said included punishment shootings and extortion.

“For years attempts by local people to take some control of their lives has been met with criticism by those who think that only they are fit to lead our people,” the CFAD said.

“These people who accuse us of wearing hoods by night don’t need to wear hoods because they are invisible except on payday.

“We state clearly that we are not involved in any criminal activity whatsoever.

“Furthermore, the silence of local politicians in the face of PSNI terror tactics only serves to widen the gap between those trying to tackle the drug problem and those whose inactivity adds to it.

“Despite all this, our group is growing stronger and attracting more local residents every week - and we remain focused on the task ahead.”

MONAGHAN ‘INCURSION’

Meanwhile, the 32 County Sovereignty Movement has called on the Dublin government to clarify its position regarding following what it said was the latest incursion by British forces across the border.

A British military spotter plane was reported to have circled over the town of Clones in County Monaghan on at least three occasions on Saturday morning and afternoon.

The 32CSM said a large deployment of Crown Forces has been present in the nearby village of Newtownbutler following warnings that a rocket had been abandoned in the area.

It said PSNI patrols had strayed over the border on several occasions recently.

“This latest incursion is another blatant affront to Irish Sovereignty,” the group said in a statement.

“The 32 County Sovereignty Movement would like to know if this incursion has been sanctioned by the 26 County administration as part of their war on Irish Republicanism and if so where does that leave their own claims to having sovereign integrity over their own jurisdiction - and where does it leave their claims of neutrality given that a heavily armed occupation army and police force may be allowed to use their territory?”

Urgent Appeal