IRA 'threatening' police board members

The IRA has threatened all Catholic members of a new community policing body in Northern Ireland, it was claimed tonight.

Nationalists were urged to step up personal security because of heightening fears.

The warning followed an emergency meeting in Cookstown, Co Tyrone, where one of the 26 District Policing Partnerships (DPP) set up to monitor police performance is based.

Senior police officers told the body that mainstream republicans planned an intimidation campaign against all nationalists on the board.

Nine out of the 15 members believe they are under threat.

Sinn Féin dismissed the claims, but unionists accused the IRA of waging a fresh campaign of violence.

The alert came just days after a member in Fermanagh quit when he was threatened by dissident republicans opposed to the Sinn Féin leadership of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, and the Good Friday Agreement.

Northern Ireland Office officials are to have talks with DPP members next week about stepping up their own security.

Cookstown chairman Patsy McGlone, one of those warned, hit out at the terrorists.

He said: “Those responsible for threats or menacing behaviour on, or against, DPP members are fascists who simply don’t want to see a peaceful new society emerge from years of conflict.”

The threat emerged when members were told that police intelligence indicated “mainstream republicans” aligned to the IRA intend to intimidate all SDLP representatives and independents regarded as Catholic.

Sinn Féin Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Michelle Gildernew had earlier attacked the Real IRA for forcing Cathal O’Dolan to resign from the Fermanagh board amid fears he would be executed.

Even though Sinn Fein has refused to endorse Northern Ireland’s new policing arrangements because it insists more reforms are needed, she condemned the targeting campaign.

But Sammy Wilson, a Democratic Unionist member of the central Policing Board, claimed the Provos had not changed.

He said: “The latest round of threats made against the DPP members in Cookstown by the Provisional IRA proves they are still in the business of terrorism and their political spokesmen in Sinn Féin are in the business of justifying these actions.

“Let’s hear Sinn Féin vociferously condemning these threats. Failure to do so will confirm that they continue to be the mouth piece of the hooded gunmen.”

Ulster Unionist Honorary Secretary Arlene Foster insisted the threats were a major blow to Sinn Féin’s credibility.

She said: “It raises questions as to whether the mainstream republican approach to this process is to further the struggle by keeping the paramilitary wing while participating in politics.”

But the Sinn Féin former Assembly member for the area, Francie Molloy, insisted mainstream republicans were not involved.

“There’s nothing that would indicate a change of attitude,” he said.

“Whilst there has been reports of other threats coming from different quarters I don’t think at all this was a threat from the Provisional IRA.”

A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman refused to comment on the threats.

He said: “We do not comment on the security of any individuals. However, where we believe that someone needs to review their personal security we take steps to inform them.”

But a spokesman for the Policing Board in Belfast said: “We recognise that this must be a particularly worrying time for those affected and is monitoring the overall situation.”