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Loyal paramilitaries have issued threats to members of the Assembly in the SDLP, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) and the Alliance.
Following threats made against journalists at the Belfast offices of the Sunday World and Sunday Life, UUP leader Steve Aiken and his MLA colleague Doug Beattie, SDLP Northern Assembly Vice President Patsy McGlone and North Alliance MP Alliance Stephen Farry have been warned by the Northern Ireland Police Service (PSNI) that they are under attack by loyal paramilitaries.
The threats, according to main sources, were issued by elements of the Ulster Defense Association (UDA) in southeast Antrim.
All four members of the Assembly are believed to have been attacked after they openly demonstrated by condemning threats against journalists.
These threats are understood to be related to Sunday Life and Sunday World’s coverage of the murder of Glenn Quinn, 47, in Carrickfergus in Co Antrim in January, a murder blamed southeast of Antrim UDA, and other drugs and criminal activities by that group.
McGlone said that neither he nor journalists who have received threats last week will be silenced or censored. The Mid-Ulster MLA said police informed him of the threat Sunday night.
“This is not the first time that paramilitaries have threatened me, but I can assure those responsible that they will not be silenced, censored or intimidated by faceless thugs,” he said.
“In the week of VE commemorations, it is ironic and deeply sinister that they have chosen to imitate fascist attacks against journalists and elected representatives.
“This threat, and the threats made against journalists in the last week, are an attack on the democratic tradition on this island. It must be resisted and those responsible must understand that they will never win, ”said McGlone.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said those responsible for the threat obviously did not know Mr. McGlone. “It will not be broken or silenced by those who try to intimidate him and others,” he said.
“These thugs must understand that every threat against an elected representative or a journalist or any other person is an attack on our peace and an attack on the democratic will of the people of this island. It is a fight they will never win.
“The threats made against Patsy and various journalists in the past week should be lifted immediately. Everyone on this island should be able to live and work free from the threat of violence, “Eastwood said.
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