My Paddy is not an informer
Sunday Life
By Stephen Breen
Sunday 27, January 2008
Mum-of-two who fears for her family’s lives after her husband was accused of being a security forces spy, terrified Tish Murray spoke out last night to rubbish claims that her husband Paddy was an MI5 agent.
Police have warned the family that Murray — a well-known dissident re publican — is under a Real IRA death threat.
Tish has offered to meet the terror group’s leadership to talk about the tout claims.
The Co Antrim woman has also challenged the Real IRA to produce evidence that her husband is an agent.
The allegations were first made against Murray last October.
This is the first time his 38-year-old wife has spoken about her fears for her family.
Murray is due to be jailed next month after he pleaded guilty to attacking Antrim man Kevin Gillen in 2005.
The ex-IRA man was initially charged with kidnap, but those charges were lat er dropped.
Said Tish: “This has been going on for about four months now and
I’ve just had enough. We can’t go on living like this.
“If these people have evidence that Paddy is an informer then why don’t they produce it?
“My husband has never been an agent. I’ll meet these people on my own turf anytime.
“Paddy has been on remand since 2005 so how can he be near anyone to provide information?
“The only thing he is guilty of is of being a lifelong republican.
“The police told us that the Real IRA were going to abduct, interrogate and then shoot Paddy because they believed he was an agent.
“It’s not fair my two kids’ lives being put in danger because of groundless allegations.
“We used to live in fear of the loyalists but now we’re under threat from people who claim to defend the nationalist people.”
Murray — who was once involved in a heated row with IRA legend Martin Meehan — is now in hiding in the Irish Republic.
Mrs Murray claimed her husband has vowed to end his association with dissi dent republicans after his release from prison.
She added: “I’ve told Paddy that when he gets out of jail that’s the end of it. I can’t go on leading this type of life.
“He has assured me that he is walking away from everything and how he just wants to lead as normal a life as possible.
“We want to remain in Antrim but how can we do this if we have a death threat hanging over us?
“The only reason the kidnap charge was dropped was because of lack of evidence.
“If Paddy was being protected then why did I have to go out and buy two (CCTV security) cameras? Where is the support from the security forces?
“It’s now up to the Real IRA to say something.”
sbreen@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
