Branch harassment in Dublin

Two Dublin Sinn Féin members, from opposite sides of the city, were rudely awakened in Special Branch raids last Friday morning. Under the pretext of suspicion of possession of firearms, their homes were searched and the pair were arrested under the catchall Offences Against the State Act.

In what is being viewed by republicans as a throwback to the sort of heavyhanded garda harassment that preceded the peace process, they were taken to Blackrock garda station in the suburbs for questioning. Some 16 hours later, they were released without charge.

Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris has made a formal complaint to the Dublin government about the arrests. "This was a disgraceful example of Special Branch harassment," he said. "It is all the more outrageous coming as it does after the latest election success by Sinn Féin. Is this some sort of heavy-handed response to try to sully the name of our party in advance of the local and European elections?

"This sort of blatant politically-motivated harassment on spurious grounds shows again that policing reform is not just an issue for the Six Counties."