Outrage at police raids in Downpatrick

Sinn Fein has expressed outrage at a number of pre-dawn police
raids on the homes of three senior republican activists in
Downpatrick, County Down.

During the raids, that lasted for over two hours, items of
clothing and internal, confidential Sinn Fein memos were stolen.

One of the houses targeted by the RUC/PSNI was that of Liam
Johnson, Sinn Fein's nominated Assembly candidate for Strangford,
who expressed his anger and disgust at the raid.

Johnson stated: "Yet again, republicans in Downpatrick have been
subjected to the 'jackboot' polices of a corrupt and discredited
police force. The raid on my home was illegal as the warrant,
that should have been signed by a police inspector, was left
unsigned. My home was unoccupied at the time of the raid yet the
documentation left by the RUC/PSNI stated that I was present."

"Effectively, my house has been broken into by agents of the
state who like common thieves, gained access through a window,
ransacked my home and stole items of clothing and confidential
Sinn Fein documentation. The much vaunted new beginning to
policing is nothing but a charade and an accountable and
democratic police service in the Six Counties still seems a long
way off."

Downpatrick Assembly candidate Councillor Eammon McConvey echoed
these comments and demanded that the stolen items be returned
immediately.