Ireland: Threats to the lives of republicans

During the so-called Troubles in the six counties in Ireland's north still claimed by Britain, the assassination of republican activists opposing British occupation was a regular occurrence at the hands of security forces or pro-British "loyalist" terrorist groups (often with ties to the security forces). The article published below, abridged from An Phoblacht, reveals the dangers have not disappeared.

Threats purporting to emanate from the shadowy loyalist organisation the Orange Volunteers have been issued against leading Sinn Fein politicians including the party President Gerry Adams.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland informed all those who have been threatened that they were being targeted by the loyalist group, which is based mostly around the South Antrim area.

As well as Adams, those under threat include Stormont education minister Caitriona Ruane and junior minister Gerry Kelly.

Kelly has revealed that a further threat has been issued against him.

Adams was told that his life is under threat, while a warning from the Orange Volunteers was phoned to a Belfast PSNI station saying that Ruane would be killed.

In a further incident, Mid-Ulster representative Francie Molloy said on January 7 he had received a telephone warning from "a man with an English accent", claiming that a bomb had been left at his home and it would explode in an hour.

From GLW issue 822