Republican threat to Belfast mayor

Police in the North are investigating a republican threat to protestant workers.

Lord Mayor, Jim Rodgers called in police after receiving the threat in the post at his city hall office.

He said it consisted two A4 sheets of paper, one of which said, "Catholic Reaction Force", while the other warned, "All protestant workers in west Belfast to beware".

Mr. Rodgers said he and the police were taking the threat seriously and urged all protestant workers in the west of the city to be on their guard.

"The Catholic Reaction Force, a cover name for the IRA, have been responsible for killing and maiming people down the years," said the Lord Mayor, "I deplore this. I am sickened and disgusted, there are evil and sinister people in our midst".

The letter was post marked in Belfast and was opened by one of the staff at city hall who alerted Mr Rodgers.

It was later revealed that similar communications have been sent to several council owned amenity sites in the city.