Christmas toy voucher used in MI5 recruitment bid

A Derry man has said MI5 tried to recruit him as an informer by sending a Christmas card to his house containing a phone number and a voucher for a local toy shop.

The man, who did not wish to be named, said the card was hand-delivered to his home last week, just days after the house was searched by the PSNI police.

He believes the card is linked to the search.

“The police searched my house recently and I noticed when they did that they did not disturb anything or search everywhere,” he said. “They did not even go out and look in my shed. I thought it was strange.

“Then, last Thursday, a Christmas card arrived at my house with a stamp on it but no postmark - so it must have been hand delivered. It was signed by someone called ‘Justin’ who wrote that he was ‘sorry to hear about your recent troubles’ and referred to my family.

“There was also voucher for a toy shop for 100 pounds which I plan to give to charity. It also said they needed my help and there was mobile phone number to call.

“I believe this was linked to the raid and that the card has come from MI5 as an attempt to recruit me as an informer,” he said.

The man said that while he was not a member of any political grouping he did have friends who were republicans.

When the mobile phone number was called, the call went straight to an answer-phone message which was recorded by a man with an English accent.

A spokesperson for the 32 County Sovereignty Movement said: “ We would like to challenge Sinn Fein and the SDLP over where the new beginning to policing is that they promised all of us. They are working hand in glove with the police; the same police who are attempting to recruit this man as an informer.

“We would call on anyone was has been approached to work as an informer to come forward and also to anyone who may have already been pressurised or intimidated into being and informer to come forward to the Sovereignty Movement, the media, or a solicitor.”

Urgent Appeal