Post by Wasp on Nov 25, 2007 19:17:01 GMT
Londonderry Journal
Row over SF warning to youths
By Staff reporter
Creggan parish priest Fr Stephen McLaughlin has said he's "deeply unhappy" that threats were passed onto him by two Sinn Fein members warning three local youths to "lay low and keep their heads down".Sinn Fein has denied being behind the threats. A spokesman said the two community activists were passing on a warning they received when they approached a number of masked men on the estate on Tuesday evening. This group said they were looking for the three youths.
Two of the families involved have accused Sinn Fein of issuing the threats directly.
Fr McLaughlin said the two callers made no precise allegations and didn’t say they were from any organisation but from ‘the community’.
He commented: “I thought these threats were a thing of the past, there are other avenues, accountable and transparent means for the community to deal with this type of issue. I am deeply unhappy that threats have been made against anyone.”
Sinn Fein Councillor for Creggan, Kevin Campbell, said: ”These three young people are under no threat whatsoever from Sinn Fein. Our position is quite clear, no one should be threatened by anyone. Even those engaged in anti-social behaviour should be dealt with by Community Restorative Justice or the PSNI.
“We would be quite happy for these families to have the PSNI investigate the incident.”
However, Elaine Maxwell, whose 17 year-old son Barry is one of the threatened youths, said: “If that’s the case why did the two members of Sinn Fein not approach the PSNI or ourselves directly instead of relaying threats through a priest?” (EXCELLENT POINT)
Father McLaughlin visited all three homes on Tuesday evening. Threatened along with Barry Maxwell were 18 year-old Paul Burke and another 18 year-old whose family couldn’t be contacted yesterday.
Elaine Maxwell said: “I thought it was something to do with suicide when the priest said, ‘I have some bad news about your son’. When I heard that threats had been made I approached Sinn Fein who at first denied knowing anything about the incident.
“After I threatened to get the PSNI involved, they told me two of their community workers had overheard the threats from masked men behind our house.
“My son is traumatised since it has happened. The two Sinn Fein men came to my house but their story kept changing so I asked them to leave. Why couldn’t they just come to us in the first place?”
Barry’s father Paul Maxwell added: “I know these men, they could have approached me. I feel they are threatening my son to get to me over political differences.”
Terrified
Paul Burke’s mother, Elisha Fisher, is also worried about her son: “Young people in this town are killing themselves due to the pressure they are under and then Sinn Fein threaten my son, who has never brought bother to my door.
Row over SF warning to youths
By Staff reporter
Creggan parish priest Fr Stephen McLaughlin has said he's "deeply unhappy" that threats were passed onto him by two Sinn Fein members warning three local youths to "lay low and keep their heads down".Sinn Fein has denied being behind the threats. A spokesman said the two community activists were passing on a warning they received when they approached a number of masked men on the estate on Tuesday evening. This group said they were looking for the three youths.
Two of the families involved have accused Sinn Fein of issuing the threats directly.
Fr McLaughlin said the two callers made no precise allegations and didn’t say they were from any organisation but from ‘the community’.
He commented: “I thought these threats were a thing of the past, there are other avenues, accountable and transparent means for the community to deal with this type of issue. I am deeply unhappy that threats have been made against anyone.”
Sinn Fein Councillor for Creggan, Kevin Campbell, said: ”These three young people are under no threat whatsoever from Sinn Fein. Our position is quite clear, no one should be threatened by anyone. Even those engaged in anti-social behaviour should be dealt with by Community Restorative Justice or the PSNI.
“We would be quite happy for these families to have the PSNI investigate the incident.”
However, Elaine Maxwell, whose 17 year-old son Barry is one of the threatened youths, said: “If that’s the case why did the two members of Sinn Fein not approach the PSNI or ourselves directly instead of relaying threats through a priest?” (EXCELLENT POINT)
Father McLaughlin visited all three homes on Tuesday evening. Threatened along with Barry Maxwell were 18 year-old Paul Burke and another 18 year-old whose family couldn’t be contacted yesterday.
Elaine Maxwell said: “I thought it was something to do with suicide when the priest said, ‘I have some bad news about your son’. When I heard that threats had been made I approached Sinn Fein who at first denied knowing anything about the incident.
“After I threatened to get the PSNI involved, they told me two of their community workers had overheard the threats from masked men behind our house.
“My son is traumatised since it has happened. The two Sinn Fein men came to my house but their story kept changing so I asked them to leave. Why couldn’t they just come to us in the first place?”
Barry’s father Paul Maxwell added: “I know these men, they could have approached me. I feel they are threatening my son to get to me over political differences.”
Terrified
Paul Burke’s mother, Elisha Fisher, is also worried about her son: “Young people in this town are killing themselves due to the pressure they are under and then Sinn Fein threaten my son, who has never brought bother to my door.
