2 September 1999 Edition
New Lodge man pressurised
A 28-year-old man from the New Lodge Road in Belfast has come forward to accuse the RUC of trying to recruit him as an informer.
The man, who wants to remain anonymous, told An Phoblacht that he was told to go to North Queen Street RUC barracks to sort out a matter with the RUC, who raided his house on Saturday 21 August.
He says the RUC sledgehammered their way into his home and searched it, saying they were looking for another man.
As this other man didn't live there the RUC left but told the occupier to go to the barracks the next night to sort the matter out. At 6pm the following evening, the man says he went down and met two plain-clothed RUC members.
``Before I knew what was happening, they were asking me to watch people and threw two bundles of money onto the table and said they would look out for me''.
The RUC men then asked the man to watch certain named people who they said were republicans. The man asked if he was under arrest and when the RUC said he wasn't, he got up and walked out.
``It was real heavy pressure; I never slept for days after it,'' he says. ``I even got an emergency appointment with my doctor.''
The man has reported the incident to his solicitor and has lodged a complaint against the RUC.
The man, who wants to remain anonymous, told An Phoblacht that he was told to go to North Queen Street RUC barracks to sort out a matter with the RUC, who raided his house on Saturday 21 August.
He says the RUC sledgehammered their way into his home and searched it, saying they were looking for another man.
As this other man didn't live there the RUC left but told the occupier to go to the barracks the next night to sort the matter out. At 6pm the following evening, the man says he went down and met two plain-clothed RUC members.
``Before I knew what was happening, they were asking me to watch people and threw two bundles of money onto the table and said they would look out for me''.
The RUC men then asked the man to watch certain named people who they said were republicans. The man asked if he was under arrest and when the RUC said he wasn't, he got up and walked out.
``It was real heavy pressure; I never slept for days after it,'' he says. ``I even got an emergency appointment with my doctor.''
The man has reported the incident to his solicitor and has lodged a complaint against the RUC.