Call to IRA over policing threats

Brid Rodgers: Made a call to the IRA

The IRA has been urged to make a statement saying it is not involved in a recent campaign of intimidation against Catholics on district policing partnerships.

A series of attacks and threats to members of policing partnerships across Northern Ireland have resulted in three members resigning.

The latest resignation came on Friday night when Moya Burns, an independent member of Down district policing partnership, quit.

It is believed she felt unable to continue in the role because of the current situation although she is not thought to have been personally threatened.

The vice chairman of Down district policing partnership said the campaign of intimidation against nationalist members would not succeed.

What would help certainly is if the IRA were to make a clear statement saying that they're not involved and that it's wrong Brid Rodgers SDLP deputy leader

"I don't think it will succeed because I think people will gather strength again," said Eamon O'Neill.

"I think this great policing experiment is too strong and I honestly believe this great experiment will succeed."

The chief constable, Huge Orde, has said the main threat was from dissident republicans, but police had intelligence that mainstream republicans were involved at a lower level.

SDLP deputy leader Brid Rodgers said those who received the threats had been confused and frightened and urged the IRA to clarify its position.

"I know that in at least one area, there is a strong suspicion that individual members of the IRA are involved," she told BBC Radio Ulster's Inside Politics programme on Saturday.

Disband

"I don't know, I can't say, but what would help certainly is if the IRA were to make a clear statement saying that they're not involved and that it's wrong. That would certainly be very useful."

On Saturday, Sinn Fein released a statement saying the attacks on members of the district policing partnerships were wrong and should stop.

The party has called for those behind them to disband.

Hugh Orde said mainstream republicans were involved

District policing partnerships were set up across Northern Ireland under reforms initiated by a commission headed by former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten and implemented by the government.

On Wednesday, the Policing Board confirmed that its vice chairman Denis Bradley had received a threat.

The attacks on partnership members included an arson attack which destroyed a car at the home of Londonderry district policing group member Marian Quinn.

Mrs Quinn said the police warned her on Tuesday night that they had received a threat from the Real IRA that all Catholic members of the DPP throughout Northern Ireland were what they called "legitimate targets".

Teresa Rooney, a member of Cookstown DPP, stood down on Tuesday and last week an independent nationalist in Fermanagh resigned following a threat from the Real IRA.

Other attacks have included an attack on a car belonging to a DPP member in Strabane and a hoax bomb outside the home of a DPP chairman in Tyrone.

District policing partnerships are made up of councillors and members of the local community, who work alongside the Police Service of Northern Ireland's 29 District Command Units in trying to meet local community policing needs.

The Northern Ireland Policing Board handles some of the most sensitive issues facing policing and holds PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde and his senior officers to account.

Former assembly members and independent nominees serve on the board whose headquarters are in Belfast.