Six Catholic members of a District Policing Partnership, who received death threats from dissident republicans, have refused to resign, it emerged today.

The SDLP today expressed the determination of party members on local District Policing Partnerships in Northern Ireland to stand up against dissident republican threats and intimidation.

Catholic members of local policing boards in Northern Ireland are being subjected to “psychological intimidation” from republicans, the chairman of one district partnership claimed today.

FIVE people were being questioned yesterday by detectives investigating death threats against Catholic Policing Board members in Northern Ireland as the IRA faced demands to admit they are not involved.

The Real IRA tonight issued a death threat against Denis Bradley, the vice-chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.