IRSP condemn Strabane raids

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The Irish Republican Socialist Party utterly condemn this morning’s raids on the homes of party personnel and the subsequent arrests of party members in Strabane.

We view these raids and arrests as nothing more than the latest in a line of intimidation against IRSP members that stretches back to November 2005 when a series of similar raids took place. We believe that these raids are an attempt to placate unionism and are being used by the RUC/PSNI to justify similar raids against criminals operating under the banner of loyalism.

The Irish Republican Socialist Movement are not involved in crime, the opposite is the case, members of the INLA recently distrupted two drugs gangs in Derry and Strabane. The INLA also dismantled two separate gangs who were targeting homes and business premises in Inishowen. The record of the IRSM speaks for itself in relation to crime and criminality. We oppose it whilst the RUC/PSNI see crimes and criminality as opportunities to turn young criminals into paid informers against their communities.

It is significant that these actions by the RUC/PSNI come as the Republican Socialist Movement prepares to commemorate ten young republicans who fasted to the death in the face of being labeled criminals by the British and their lackeys. The republicans of 1981 would not accept that label and twenty-five years on the republicans of 2006 will not accept that label.

We are confident that nothing will come from today’s arrests other than media headlines inspired by a discredited RUC/PSNI.

Recently the IRSP in Counties Derry and Tyrone have come under close scrutiny from the state’s “new” police force. We are continually told that there is a new dispensation when it comes to policing, we have seen that today, they have new emblems and a new name, that’s it. The same anti-republican attitude still exists within this discredited force. We are certain that they will uncover no evidence whatsoever in relation to money laundering or any other crime simply because the IRSP are not involved in any of this activity. We cannot be any clearer than that.

IRSP Spokesperson Yvonne Dalton

ENDS

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a follow up to these attacks, taken from the derry irsp board

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The headlines yesterday that four men and one woman were arrested for money laundering and 'firearms offenses' was disingenuous to say the least. The arrests yesterday were connected to two items that were found during the raids into money laundering on November 27th last. The first item was a childs BB gun, (which featured in the IMC report in which it was described as an ''INLA weapon') which led to the arrest of Eddie McGarrigle and his wife. Their nine year old son owned the BB gun. Eddie's wife Nicola is two weeks overdue in her pregnacy though this did not deter the PSNI from arresting her and questioning her over this alledged firearm. Both were NOT questioned about moneylaundering. Both were released after five hours. A 'serious' investigation indeed!!!

The second item found, which formed the basis of the other three arrests, also stemmed from the raids on November 27th last also. The item was a 'confidential court document' which was written and went 'missing' two weeks before the November 27th raids. The document was found during those raids and the person whose home it was in was arrested yesterday. I, too, was arrested at 7.45am and the reason given was ''suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice'. When I was taken to the serious crime unit in Antrim I was told my solicitor was unavailable. Little did I know at that stage that my solicitor was also arrested and was in the cell oppossite me.

The postion of all solicitors acting for clients under arrest has been seriously undermined by the public admissions from the PSNI that consultation rooms are monitored and bugged. It is now the policy of solicitors to advise clients that they cannot answer questions during interviews, regardless of the inference laws, due to the fact that they are unable to consult with their clients. My solicitor asked for a guarrantee from the PSNI yesterday that our consultation room wasn't monitored and bugged, the PSNI, on audio recorded tape, refused to guarantee this so my solicitor, again on tape, advised me not to speak or give accounts to allegations laid against me under the inference laws.

The allegations against myself centered around this 'confidential court document' and that this document may have been used by me to pervert the course of 'justice'. The PSNI stated they could connect me to its possession and because I refused to speak, even under the inference legislation, they were forwarding the file to the DPP with a recommendation of prosecution. I got two interviews, all taped, which lasted twenty to twenty five minutes each. At NO time was I questioned about money laundering. An incident did occur after my last interview during a conversation between myself and solicitor that suggested we were indeed being bugged. Serious investigation indeed!!!

The solicitor and the other person were also questioned about this 'confidential court document' though I don't yet know if they were questioned about anything else besides that.
From what I know the claims yesterday by the PSNI spin doctors was highly misleading and the only link to their claims of money laundering was two items that were found during money laundering raids on November 27th last, nothing else. The arrests yesterday seems to be the sum total of the highly publicised raids of Novemver 27th last and they seem to be desperate to bring any kind of charges to justify their 'serious' investigation. Keystone cops eat your hearts out.