3 December 1998 Edition
RUC challenged on recruitment attempt
Sinn Fein Assembly member for West Belfast Bairbre de Brun has slammed attempts by the RUC to recruit a local businessman as an informer.
``The man was approached by plain clothed RUC personnel and questioned about his business. They were aware that the man had recently applied for planning permission to expand his business. He was told that they could assist him in this matter in return for information on several named republicans. The man ignored the RUC request and has been for the past week followed by a variety of different RUC patrols. I would call publicly for the RUC to get off the man's back.
``Attempts to recruit people as informers are being intensified especially amongst young people and clearly have no place in society.''
``The man was approached by plain clothed RUC personnel and questioned about his business. They were aware that the man had recently applied for planning permission to expand his business. He was told that they could assist him in this matter in return for information on several named republicans. The man ignored the RUC request and has been for the past week followed by a variety of different RUC patrols. I would call publicly for the RUC to get off the man's back.
``Attempts to recruit people as informers are being intensified especially amongst young people and clearly have no place in society.''