12-year-old boy tried to protect father issued with death threat
By Marie Louise McCrory West Belfast Correspondent
Irish News
19/07/08
A father-of-five who has been issued with a death threat and ordered to leave Northern Ireland has told how his 12-year-old son tried to protect him against a masked gang.
The 39-year-old, who did not want to be identified, said his child frantically ran to his bedroom, grabbed his hurley and stood with his father when three men tried to force their way into the family’s home in the Lenadoon area of west Belfast.
ULTIMATUM: Two of the west Belfast men who have been told by dissident republicans to leave the north (Photo: Mal McCann)
The child, along with his 10-year-old sister, screamed at the gang, who had covered their faces with scarves and hoods.
The man is one of three west Belfast men who have received threats in the past few days from a group who identified themselves as Oglaigh Na Eireann Earlier in the week six men armed with a gun forced their way into a house in the Whiterock area and grabbed a man in his forties.
They took him to the bathroom where they held a gun to his head before realising he was not the intended victim – a 20-year-old Ballymurphy man who had been in the house earlier that day.
They told the occupant that the 20-year-old had 48 hours to leave Northern Ireland.
A masked gang also visited the home of a third man from the Andersonstown area.
The intended victim – aged 24 – was not at home but his mother and sister were told he too had 48 hours to leave.
When he did not go he received a bullet in the post.
A masked gang then paid a second visit to his house to deliver a further threat.
It is understood the man has now gone into hiding.
Speaking last night, the Lenadoon man said he knew of no reason why he would be threatened.
“I go out and work for my money,” he said.
“I have not done anything to anyone.”
He added: “I am angry and I am worried. At the end of the day I just want to know why I have been threatened.”
The 20-year-old from Ballymurphy who has been threatened, said: “I don’t know why I have been threatened.”
His mother said the threat had left the family “devastated”.
“I would call for the threat to be lifted,” she said.
“I would like to know why. I would be open to discussing anything to do with my son.”
The mother-of-four said her son had “turned his own life around” after being released from prison last year and was now involved in voluntary work in the area.
Jim Auld, director of Community Restorative Justice, (CRJ) condemned the threats.
“We would appeal to this organisation to lift these threats and to approach CRJ if there are issues, even to let these families know why the threats have been made,” he said.
“It is also concerning that young children witnessed this.
“CRJ would condemn these activities.”
