27 November 1997 Edition
Don't call Harry
By Peadar Whelan
SPECIAL BRANCH MAN Harry has been busy in Lurgan. Over the past two weeks he has attempted to recruit three men as informers.
Telling one of the men, ``not to tell Republican News'', Harry offered him ``thousands of pounds and no one would be any the wiser''.
Underlining the seriousness of the recruitment attempt was the fact that Harry knew very intimate details of the man's personal life that he believes the RUC could only have got from medical records.
The man, who wants to be known only as John, was stopped by the RUC last Thursday 20 November at the Coalisland roundabout. He had travelled from Lurgan to pick up parts for his car, a diesel motor which the RUC tested.
Accusing John of using illegal diesel the RUC held him for two hours at the roundabout then brought him to Dungannon RUC barracks where he was interviewed by customs and excise officers. Customs threatened John with a £2,000 fine for using illegal diesel.
As the customs man left he told John that ``someone wants to see you''.
It was Harry, dressed in jeans and a denim shirt.
Harry referred to John by his nickname, telling him, ``I've been studying you for the last five years. I want you to work with me''. He offered to cover the £2,000 fine for John as he would be, ``fucked without your car,'' which John needs as he is a taxi driver.
Although John tried to leave the room Harry blocked him.
John told An Phoblacht that Harry knew a lot of information about him, ``that I had recently moved into a knew address, that I drink Smirnoff, but the main thing was that he was able to tell me very personal, intimate information that I believe could only have come from medical files''.
Harry also offered to have the campaign of harassmant that the crown forces are waging against John stopped if he worked for the RUC. An Phoblacht has carried several accounts of this harassment including one in April this year when the RUC kicked in the front door of his house, put a gun to his head and threatened to kill him.
``I could be the best friend you ever had,'' said Harry.
John was released 90 minutes later. Within days he received £60 in the post, at his new address, with a note signed H.
On Friday morning 21 November Harry tried his luck again, this time with Connor Scullion. Scullion was arrested and while in Lurgan RUC barracks Harry appeared. After asking about his wife and baby, and how his wife was coping with the death of her father, Harry came to the point. He asked Connor to supply information. When he refused Harry said he and Collie Duffy would be killed. The RUC man then offered Connor ``plenty of insurance, and enough money to live comfortably''.
``The RUC are always harrasing me,'' Connor said, ``but I'm worried they have my new address. I've only moved in there recently''.
Harry also made an approach to a 26 year old man on Tuesday 12 November. As the man walked from the Kilwilkie estate he noticed a red car, possibly a Micra, driving past him. Then at Victoria Street the same car pulled up beside him. The passenger got out and asked, ``can I have a word with you?''. When the man asked for identification the driver got out saying, ``remember me?''. It was Harry who had tried to recruit the man in May when he had been in RUC custody on a spurious theft charge.
There is no doubt that the RUC were watching the Kilwilkie man as he makes the same journey every Tuesday and he believes the RUC were again trying to coerce him into informing.
Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd who represents the area, accused the RUC of ``a campaign of intimidation'', and warned people to be on their guard. ``There have been about 30 similiar approaches around this area. It is clear the RUC is still fighting its dirty war''.
Meanwhile a Belfast man, Liam Fenton, who had to report to an RUC barracks in the Upper Springfield area was told by the RUC that they wouldn't prosecute him on charges of possession of illegal fireworks if he passed on information to them.
According to Fenton the RUC told him he could sell illegal cigarettes and alcohol and he wouldn't be raided. The RUC offered to meet Fenton every two weeks and get him to keep an eye on people or vehicles and they would see him right for expenses.
SPECIAL BRANCH MAN Harry has been busy in Lurgan. Over the past two weeks he has attempted to recruit three men as informers.
Telling one of the men, ``not to tell Republican News'', Harry offered him ``thousands of pounds and no one would be any the wiser''.
Underlining the seriousness of the recruitment attempt was the fact that Harry knew very intimate details of the man's personal life that he believes the RUC could only have got from medical records.
The man, who wants to be known only as John, was stopped by the RUC last Thursday 20 November at the Coalisland roundabout. He had travelled from Lurgan to pick up parts for his car, a diesel motor which the RUC tested.
Accusing John of using illegal diesel the RUC held him for two hours at the roundabout then brought him to Dungannon RUC barracks where he was interviewed by customs and excise officers. Customs threatened John with a £2,000 fine for using illegal diesel.
As the customs man left he told John that ``someone wants to see you''.
It was Harry, dressed in jeans and a denim shirt.
Harry referred to John by his nickname, telling him, ``I've been studying you for the last five years. I want you to work with me''. He offered to cover the £2,000 fine for John as he would be, ``fucked without your car,'' which John needs as he is a taxi driver.
Although John tried to leave the room Harry blocked him.
John told An Phoblacht that Harry knew a lot of information about him, ``that I had recently moved into a knew address, that I drink Smirnoff, but the main thing was that he was able to tell me very personal, intimate information that I believe could only have come from medical files''.
Harry also offered to have the campaign of harassmant that the crown forces are waging against John stopped if he worked for the RUC. An Phoblacht has carried several accounts of this harassment including one in April this year when the RUC kicked in the front door of his house, put a gun to his head and threatened to kill him.
``I could be the best friend you ever had,'' said Harry.
John was released 90 minutes later. Within days he received £60 in the post, at his new address, with a note signed H.
On Friday morning 21 November Harry tried his luck again, this time with Connor Scullion. Scullion was arrested and while in Lurgan RUC barracks Harry appeared. After asking about his wife and baby, and how his wife was coping with the death of her father, Harry came to the point. He asked Connor to supply information. When he refused Harry said he and Collie Duffy would be killed. The RUC man then offered Connor ``plenty of insurance, and enough money to live comfortably''.
``The RUC are always harrasing me,'' Connor said, ``but I'm worried they have my new address. I've only moved in there recently''.
Harry also made an approach to a 26 year old man on Tuesday 12 November. As the man walked from the Kilwilkie estate he noticed a red car, possibly a Micra, driving past him. Then at Victoria Street the same car pulled up beside him. The passenger got out and asked, ``can I have a word with you?''. When the man asked for identification the driver got out saying, ``remember me?''. It was Harry who had tried to recruit the man in May when he had been in RUC custody on a spurious theft charge.
There is no doubt that the RUC were watching the Kilwilkie man as he makes the same journey every Tuesday and he believes the RUC were again trying to coerce him into informing.
Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd who represents the area, accused the RUC of ``a campaign of intimidation'', and warned people to be on their guard. ``There have been about 30 similiar approaches around this area. It is clear the RUC is still fighting its dirty war''.
Meanwhile a Belfast man, Liam Fenton, who had to report to an RUC barracks in the Upper Springfield area was told by the RUC that they wouldn't prosecute him on charges of possession of illegal fireworks if he passed on information to them.
According to Fenton the RUC told him he could sell illegal cigarettes and alcohol and he wouldn't be raided. The RUC offered to meet Fenton every two weeks and get him to keep an eye on people or vehicles and they would see him right for expenses.