17 July 1997 Edition
Sinn Féin uncovers spy post
Twinbrook Sinn Féin councillor Paul Butler has questioned the role of the British army in Twinbrook after the discovery, in a derelict flat, of army issue items including mess cans and food.
Butler is accusing the British forces of having set up a spy post which they were using to monitor the movements of republicans in the Summerhill area over the tense Twelfth period.
``Local people heard noises in what was an unoccupied flat that was shuttered up with a steel door. Republicans, including myself, went to investigate and discovered that the shutter had been prised open and inside we found food items, an army issue pouch, water bottle and lamp as well as mess cans. People are obviously worried at what seems to have been a British spy post operating at this tense time and are asking if there is any connection between the spy post and the death of UDA man Brian Morton who blew himself up last week'', said Butler.
According to Butler residents of other flats in the vicinity had discovered British army patrols trying to gain access to other derelict flats in the area in the past three weeks, but had pulled out of the area when residents went to investigate their activities.
``It seems they were trying hard to get a base in the area,'' the Sinn Fein councillor said.
Butler is accusing the British forces of having set up a spy post which they were using to monitor the movements of republicans in the Summerhill area over the tense Twelfth period.
``Local people heard noises in what was an unoccupied flat that was shuttered up with a steel door. Republicans, including myself, went to investigate and discovered that the shutter had been prised open and inside we found food items, an army issue pouch, water bottle and lamp as well as mess cans. People are obviously worried at what seems to have been a British spy post operating at this tense time and are asking if there is any connection between the spy post and the death of UDA man Brian Morton who blew himself up last week'', said Butler.
According to Butler residents of other flats in the vicinity had discovered British army patrols trying to gain access to other derelict flats in the area in the past three weeks, but had pulled out of the area when residents went to investigate their activities.
``It seems they were trying hard to get a base in the area,'' the Sinn Fein councillor said.