Youth charged with Real IRA membership

Police have charged a 17-year-old boy with being a member of the dissident republican Real IRA.

He was one of five people detained earlier this week by detectives investigating threats against Catholics who work with police in the community.

The news came as a third member of a district policing partnership in Northern Ireland resigned following the campaign of intimidation.

It is believed Moya Burns, an independent member of Down district policing partnership, felt unable to continue in the role because of the current situation.

She quit on Friday evening, although she is not thought to have been personally threatened.

In the past two weeks, two other DPP members have resigned following a series of attacks and threats to members of policing partnerships across the province.

The 17-year-old charged with Real IRA membership is due to appear at a special sitting of Omagh Magistrates' Court on Saturday morning.

He is also charged with possession of a real or imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and possession of articles for the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of violence.

Another man has been released pending report and three others have been released without charge.

Widespread support

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.

Earlier on Friday, a senior lawyer involved in the policing reforms said the partnerships would succeed despite ongoing intimidation of Catholic members.

Peter Smith said he believed there was still widespread support for the reforms.

Denis Bradley: Received threat

The Policing Board confirmed on Wednesday that its vice chairman Denis Bradley had received a threat.

The attacks 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".

She insisted the attack had made her more determined to remain in the district policing partnership.

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 which was left 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.