Post by Papa C. on Jan 12, 2008 18:58:31 GMT
Drug Dealers forced out of Lenadoon...
The Real IRA has forced a couple out of Lenadoon after accusing them of selling heroin. On Sunday night (6/1/08) masked and armed men went to a house in the Glenveagh area of the estate. After forcing their way into the property they ordered the occupants - a man and woman in their 20's - out of the area.
The Real IRA accused them of selling heroin. The man, who is from Ballymena, was given 30 minutes to leave West Belfast; the woman was told she had until Wedensday to leave.
The Andersonstown News understands the woman approached Sinn Fein on Monday for help in dealing with the threats. She was advised to make a statement to the PSNI and to contact a solicitor.
Local Sinn Fein councillor Gerard O'Neill, a member of the District Policing Partnership, said making threats against the couple was "not the right way to go about things. Ordering people out of the area is not the right way to handle things. This could have been worked out in other ways", he said. "As far as I am aware there is nothing so far to suggest the couple have been involved in drug dealing".
The Andersonstown News understands the terrified couple have still not reported the threats to the PSNI. The Housing Executive, which is responsible for re housing people under paramilitary threat, said the couple had not been in touch. It is understood the Lenadoon home they were renting was bought privately from the Housing Executive several years ago.
The Andersonstown News called to the property on Wedensday, but there was no one at home. In a phone call to this newspaper on Tuesday the Real IRA, using a recognised code-word, admitted threatening the couple. The caller said the man and woman had been ordered to leave West Belfast.
Ciaran Barnes
Andersonstown News
The Real IRA has forced a couple out of Lenadoon after accusing them of selling heroin. On Sunday night (6/1/08) masked and armed men went to a house in the Glenveagh area of the estate. After forcing their way into the property they ordered the occupants - a man and woman in their 20's - out of the area.
The Real IRA accused them of selling heroin. The man, who is from Ballymena, was given 30 minutes to leave West Belfast; the woman was told she had until Wedensday to leave.
The Andersonstown News understands the woman approached Sinn Fein on Monday for help in dealing with the threats. She was advised to make a statement to the PSNI and to contact a solicitor.
Local Sinn Fein councillor Gerard O'Neill, a member of the District Policing Partnership, said making threats against the couple was "not the right way to go about things. Ordering people out of the area is not the right way to handle things. This could have been worked out in other ways", he said. "As far as I am aware there is nothing so far to suggest the couple have been involved in drug dealing".
The Andersonstown News understands the terrified couple have still not reported the threats to the PSNI. The Housing Executive, which is responsible for re housing people under paramilitary threat, said the couple had not been in touch. It is understood the Lenadoon home they were renting was bought privately from the Housing Executive several years ago.
The Andersonstown News called to the property on Wedensday, but there was no one at home. In a phone call to this newspaper on Tuesday the Real IRA, using a recognised code-word, admitted threatening the couple. The caller said the man and woman had been ordered to leave West Belfast.
Ciaran Barnes
Andersonstown News
