11 March 1999 Edition
RUC intimidation in Downpatrick
Sinn Fein's Down District councillor, Paddy McGreevy has described the on-going intimidation against a young Downpatrick couple by the RUC as typical of, ``that institutionally sectarian paramilitary force''.
The couple's first experience with the RUC came last month after the young man was stopped at an RUC checkpoint. Despite having no insurance on the car the RUC allowed him to go on. The young man now thinks this was going to be used in attempt to recruit him as an informer.
The RUC then added to the pressure when on Thursday 4 March they called at their home and told the man that he should go into hiding as Republicans were intent on giving him a punishment beating, terrifying both the man and his girlfriend who recently had a baby.
The intimidation did not stop here. At about 1am the next morning the couple were again visited by the RUC who demanded to know why they had not acted on their advice and then told the man to come with them for his own safety but the man declined.
Responding to the young couples ordeal at the hands of the RUC, councillor McGreevy said, ``this is the same armed-wing of unionism and has been condemned by every human rights body including the United Nations, Amnesty International, Liberty and Helsinki Watch. Their lies about Republicans being intent on giving the man concerned a punishment beating were yet another deliberate attempt to recruit him as an informer''.
McGreevy has advised the young couple to consult their solicitor and would offer the same advice to anyone in this position.
The couple's first experience with the RUC came last month after the young man was stopped at an RUC checkpoint. Despite having no insurance on the car the RUC allowed him to go on. The young man now thinks this was going to be used in attempt to recruit him as an informer.
The RUC then added to the pressure when on Thursday 4 March they called at their home and told the man that he should go into hiding as Republicans were intent on giving him a punishment beating, terrifying both the man and his girlfriend who recently had a baby.
The intimidation did not stop here. At about 1am the next morning the couple were again visited by the RUC who demanded to know why they had not acted on their advice and then told the man to come with them for his own safety but the man declined.
Responding to the young couples ordeal at the hands of the RUC, councillor McGreevy said, ``this is the same armed-wing of unionism and has been condemned by every human rights body including the United Nations, Amnesty International, Liberty and Helsinki Watch. Their lies about Republicans being intent on giving the man concerned a punishment beating were yet another deliberate attempt to recruit him as an informer''.
McGreevy has advised the young couple to consult their solicitor and would offer the same advice to anyone in this position.