18.10.04
Irelandclick.com
Gun find mystery deepens
Last Wednesday the PSNI found a firearm and ammo a matter of yards from a Sinn Féin office. But they didn’t say a thing about it. Until we asked, that is...
A local councillor has expressed concern that the PSNI kept quiet about a weapons find near Sinn Féin offices on the Stewartstown Road five days ago – until we asked them about it yesterday.
The PSNI last night confirmed that they found a firearm and ammunition behind a filling station on the Stewartstown Road and that the items had been taken away for forensic examination.
But Councillor Paul Butler says that he fears the weapon may have been intended for use in an attack on the Sinn Féin office and queried why the PSNI kept quiet for five days.
COPS ADMIT GUN FIND
A firearm and ammunition find near Sinn Féin offices on the Stewartstown Road only came to light yesterday – four days after the discovery.
And one local Sinn Féin councillor is furious with the PSNI for not highlighting the find. Councillor Paul Butler says that only for the fact that local people saw the PSNI with the weapon the issue would never have come to light.
“Our main concern is that given the things that the UDA have been saying recently about attacking Catholics, this may be linked to a potential loyalist attack on local people, or on one of our councillors who have been the target of numerous attacks and threats before,” said Councillor Butler.
“And it raises the question why did the PSNI not inform us of this find?
“I heard of it myself, by accident. The PSNI didn’t release details and nor did they inform us of the forensic history of this find.”
The firearm, which was found at approximately 10.40am last Wednesday morning, is thought to have been loaded and eye-witness reports suggest that PSNI officers removed the ammunition from the gun while it was still at the scene.
After being contacted by the Andersonstown News a PSNI spokesperson last night confirmed that officers came across a small firearm and ammunition behind a filling station on the Stewartstown Road. He said that both items had been taken away for further examination.
Journalist:: Ciara McGuigan
Gun find mystery deepens
Last Wednesday the PSNI found a firearm and ammo a matter of yards from a Sinn Féin office. But they didn’t say a thing about it. Until we asked, that is...
A local councillor has expressed concern that the PSNI kept quiet about a weapons find near Sinn Féin offices on the Stewartstown Road five days ago – until we asked them about it yesterday.
The PSNI last night confirmed that they found a firearm and ammunition behind a filling station on the Stewartstown Road and that the items had been taken away for forensic examination.
But Councillor Paul Butler says that he fears the weapon may have been intended for use in an attack on the Sinn Féin office and queried why the PSNI kept quiet for five days.
COPS ADMIT GUN FIND
A firearm and ammunition find near Sinn Féin offices on the Stewartstown Road only came to light yesterday – four days after the discovery.
And one local Sinn Féin councillor is furious with the PSNI for not highlighting the find. Councillor Paul Butler says that only for the fact that local people saw the PSNI with the weapon the issue would never have come to light.
“Our main concern is that given the things that the UDA have been saying recently about attacking Catholics, this may be linked to a potential loyalist attack on local people, or on one of our councillors who have been the target of numerous attacks and threats before,” said Councillor Butler.
“And it raises the question why did the PSNI not inform us of this find?
“I heard of it myself, by accident. The PSNI didn’t release details and nor did they inform us of the forensic history of this find.”
The firearm, which was found at approximately 10.40am last Wednesday morning, is thought to have been loaded and eye-witness reports suggest that PSNI officers removed the ammunition from the gun while it was still at the scene.
After being contacted by the Andersonstown News a PSNI spokesperson last night confirmed that officers came across a small firearm and ammunition behind a filling station on the Stewartstown Road. He said that both items had been taken away for further examination.
Journalist:: Ciara McGuigan
