Garbled threats rejected by Lisburn residents

Threatening and sectarian leaflets from unionist paramilitaries have been pushed through letterboxes of homes in a mixed area of County Antrim.

Carrying a symbol of the UFF (‘Ulster Freedom Fighters’), a cover name used by the UDA, the letters, warn: “This is loyalist Lisburn, not republican west Belfast. Anyone caught removing loyalist flags from lampposts will be dealt with.”

The homes targeted are in a recently opened housing development in the Altona Drive and Altona Gardens area, which lie nine miles outside Belfast.

The error-strewn UFF leaflets read: “This is [an] area controlled by loyalist paramilitaries under [our] rules beware you don’t mouth about the streets in [our] areas fight over children and think [you are] in your own west Belfast area this will not happen. Beware who you open your mouth to you could be next.”

There are fears there could be tensions over the summer as loyalist flags have been placed on lampposts in the new development in an attempt to mark sectarian territory as well as loyalist crime ‘turf’.

Some of the residents who received the leaflets took to social media to condemn the threats, according to the Belfast Telegraph. One wrote: “To the faceless cowards who are posting these leaflets to residents in Altona Drive and Altona Gardens in Lisburn, these will not intimidate us.

“We don’t need a community representative. Stay out of Altona, you are not welcome. This is a mixed area, not a loyalist area.

“Anymore intimidation of residents in Altona Drive/Gardens you will be reported to the police along with your photographs.”

Urgent Appeal