Belfast community worker threatened by micro group

Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly with Seamus Finucane talk to the media about the death threats against community workers

WEST BELFAST community worker Seamus Finucane has been warned by the PSNI of a serious threat to his life from the self-styled ‘Óglaigh na hÉireann’ group.
The PSNI informed Finucane on Thursday 17 February that there is “a serious threat” against him because of his work in the community.
In their threat the micro group warned that anyone involved in what they called “acts of treachery” would be killed.
Finucane, the brother of human rights lawyer Pat is a republican former internee and spent five years on the Blanket Protest. He is now working in a community safety project in the Upper Springfield area of west Belfast.
Finucane said at a press conference that he would not be deterred in his work by the threat:
“In the past year I have been working with a number of young people under threat from these groupings so it’s ironic that I am here with a similar threat over my head.
“I will continue working with the statutory agencies as part of my work in community safety – and that includes contacting the PSNI. Whatever information the public passes to ourselves we field to the correct agencies. That is part of my work and this threat is not going to deter me.”
Alongside Finucane was Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly.
Kelly slammed those behind the threat, saying they had no support in the community. Kelly added that the threat wasn’t just a threat to Seamus Finucane but was against “anyone working in the field of community safety”.
He said:
“This statement is beyond contempt. This is not the first time community workers have come under threat from one of these armed gangs. Last year, the so-called CIRA threatened community workers in north Belfast.
“The grouping ONH is deeply involved in criminality across Belfast. So let us now hear from their spokespersons in the Republican Network for Unity. Let them explain why they have taken it upon themselves to threaten a man who has spent his entire life involved in republican activism and who has lost two brothers. And let the media shine a light on the activities of this faction. Let us hear the justification for extortion and criminality. Let us hear why community workers are now under threat.”