‘I won’t be intimidated’ says death threats politician

A moderate nationalist politician today vowed not to be intimidated by republican youths who daubed a petrol station near his home with death threats.

Eugene McMenamin, an SDLP member of the Stormont Assembly, said the sinister graffiti was part of a ongoing hate campaign because of his party’s decision to join the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

‘‘They think that they are intimidating me but this type of incident will only make my resolve even greater.

‘‘This has all came about since the SDLP had the courage to join the Policing Board. Somebody had to make a move some time and I feel and I know we made the right move,’’ he said.

The latest incident occurred exactly five weeks after an arson attack on his home in Strabane, Co Derry. Two cars were destroyed after it was attacked with petrol bombs.

This weekend, the message ‘‘Carleton Drive Republican Youth reject PSNI/SDLP scum McMenamin Dead Man Walking’’ appeared on a petrol station just 400 metres from his home.

Mr McMenamin said the same group had attacked his house two years ago, plastering it with threatening graffiti.

‘‘This isn’t the first time I have been threatened. My life and my family have been threatened for well over two years. There were evenings I couldn’t live a telephone without someone intimidating me,’’ he added.