Dissident groups condemn harassment

The 32 County Sovereignty Committee has said one of its members, a former political prisoner, clashed with the PSNI police on a country road before an attempt was made to recruit him as an informer.

The 32CSM said the former prisoner was travelling with his girlfriend about six miles outside Enniskillen last week when they were stopped by PSNI traffic police.

The female, who was driving, was taken to Enniskillen PSNI base for questioning about an alleged speeding infraction while her boyfriend, was detained on the side of the road.

After a brief struggle during which the former prisoner attempted to run off, the 32CSM said his hands were tied and he was brought to a waiting car. A group of men inside the car, one of whom identified himself as a member of “British military intelligence” talked to him about saving lives and asked him to work for them.

“You either work for us or your going back to jail, its as simple as that”, he was told.

After refusing to speak, the man was released. Fermanagh 32CSM said the female had also questioned by the PSNI regarding her relationship with her boyfriend, and said the pair had lodged complaints with their lawyers regarding the incident.

Meanwhile, Republican Sinn Fein said one of its members in Scotland and his father were stopped and held for over an hour by British Special Branch at Prestwick airport as they returned from a family funeral in County Donegal on Sunday, October 25.

They were taken to separate rooms and questioned on a variety of personal and political issues. Before eventually being released the special branch confiscated both mobile phones until further notice.

In a statement, RSF in Scotland called on its members and supporters “to stand fast in the face of the increasing harassment especially in Scotland against Irish Republican activists.

“This petty harassment will not deter us from our goal.”

A Republican Sinn Fein representative in Italy was also reported to have been approached and questioned by members of the Italian Special Branch about his political activity for Irish freedom in that country.

The spokesperson of RSF in Italy, who also works as a freelance journalist was called to the Central Police Headquarters in Rome and questioned by two intelligence officers who recorded his information.

They asking me about RSF, our political differences with the Provos, about the 1998 Belfast Agreement,” he said.

The RSF International Relations Bureau condemned what it said was the “harassment against our activists and supporters”.

Urgent Appeal