Sinn Fein issues PSNI warning

In an unusually frank statement, Sinn Fein strategist Declan Kearney has said his party’s support for the PSNI is “not unconditional”.

While he said Sinn Fein’s support for “democratically accountable” policing is unambiguous, the party has repeatedly said that it will “face down” the “old guard political detectives” who have worked against the peace process.

“PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott says he sees no ‘evidence’ of a residual “dark side” contaminating the new beginning to policing. But his recent public relations narrative simplistically ignores reality,” he said.

“He need not look far for the evidence. He should start by reading the material available to him, not just that filtered by others. The shadow of the ‘dark side’ has been cast across his desk more than once.”

Mr Kearney said recent references by him and others to this ‘dark side’ weren’t plucked out of the sky.

“In fact, that’s how some of Matt Baggott’s own PSNI colleagues have described the in-house cabal of reactionaries still motivated by an unchanged war-time mentality. Matt Baggott privately knows that.

“Significantly, Hugh Orde called them the ‘Continuity RUC’.

Mr Kearney pointed to a litany of recent PSNI abuses:

* Ongoing abuse and misuse of agent recruitment

* Complaint patterns concentrated in certain areas

* Former PSNI officers refusing to assist investigations into police wrong-doing

* Leaning on the Police Ombudsman’s office and undermining former Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan

* The role of leading agents provocateurs agitating against the peace process - including attacks on police, and last summer’s orchestrated violence in Belfast’s Broadway and St James’ area

* Aggressive Tactical Support Groups’ behavior

* Blocking inquests in historical cases.

“Does all that fall within Matt Baggott’s definition of ‘the law’?” Mr Kearney asked.

“The above evidence trail leads directly back to a small, significant group of political detectives -- many rehired into Crime Department. Their activities are opposed to wider PSNI efforts at reforming the organisation and ethos of policing.”

CAMPAIGN AGAINST HARASSMENT

Meanwhile, Republican party eirigi said that one man recently approached the party in Newry having been stopped and searched an astonishing 98 times in little over a year.

“This is just one man and the amount of search records he has received is unbelievable,” said eirigi’s Stephen Murney.

“There are numerous other republicans, including eirigi members, in this area who are also being stopped and searched on a regular basis.”

Hie said his party would be organising several initiatives to counter this relentless campaign of harassment, including public meetings.

Murney said, “I would urge all victims of similar human rights abuses to publicly come forward and expose the unchanged nature of these British paramilitaries. They should log all incidents with their solicitor and are more than welcome to contact eirigi.”

Urgent Appeal