ON January 29, two members of the Special Branch stopped two Republican Sinn Féin members Timmy King and Christy Dunne in the Carey’s Road area in Limerick.They took Timmy King’s phone and refused to give him a receipt, then ripped the inside of his jacket while searching him and then turned their attention on Christy Dunne, making threats about his bail.
They told Timmy he could lose his job if he didn’t reply to personal questions they were asking him and insisted they would carry out this threat.
The lads proceeded on their journey and were again pulled in 15 minutes later at the Parnell/Roches Stores street corner in the city centre.
They were searched again and Christy Dunne’s phone taken this time, refusing to give him a receipt. They told Timmy and Christy to remove their socks and shoes and made them stand for five minutes in the middle of the street. They werequested at times to lift up one leg for a minute or two.They were then arrested under Section 30 of the draconian Offences Against the State Act and were brought to Henry Street barracks. There they were cautioned under Sections 4 and 23. With this they were told they had to be stripped and searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act, a section which lately has been abused to try to humiliate Republicans. The police then strip-searched them and after a while they were released.
They followed Timmy and Christy back up the road and asked them did they want a lift then drove off laughing.
“This is just another case of intimidation of Republicans which is regularly happening in Limerick,” said Timmy King. “And to see the harassment and threats they put to Christy Dunne about his bail was appalling but not surprising, even though the Special Branch themselves agreed he wasn’t breaking his bail.”
That night they called to Timmy King’s house and questioned the tenants about him and got very stern and abusive to them also.
“I will be out selling SAOIRSE this weekend,” Timmy told SAOIRSE, “and no intimidation or continued harassment will prevent me, so they are wasting their time.”
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Web layout by SAOIRSE -- Irish Freedom February 11, 2002 Send links, events notifications, articles, comments etc, to the editor at: saoirse@iol.ie. |