Sinn Fein’s Logue is target of ‘sick threat’
Thursday, 4 September 2008
Annemarie Logue: warned by police of a threat from loyalists.
ANTRIM Sinn Fein councillor Annemarie Logue has been warned by police that they have received a threat against her, purporting to come from loyalist paramilitaries.
Ms Logue, who represents the Crumlin and Templepatrick areas on Antrim Borough Council, was informed of the chilling threat last week by the PSNI.
And last night there were calls for unionist politicians to condemn the 'sick' intimidation.
However, one Antrim unionist representative has claimed that Ms Logue, who was elected to the local authority in 2006, could have 'provoked' the sinister action.
Councillor Logue confirmed that she had been warned by police, stating: "Although the PSNI have failed to provide any details about this threat, it is clear that those issuing them have nothing to offer our community and will not deter Sinn Fein from pursuing our objectives of Irish unity."
The threat is the latest in a long history of intimidation against both nationalist and unionist elected representatives in Antrim, and has stirred up memories of previous warnings against local political figures.
Former Antrim Sinn Fein councillor, the late Martin Meehan, was no stranger to intimidation from loyalists, and in later years dissident republicans who were - and still are - disillusioned by Sinn Fein's political path, and keen to de-rail the peace process.
His widow Briege - a councillor in Newtownabbey - also received threats that she was being targeted in the wake of her husband's death last year.
Speaking out after the latest threat of action by rogue loyalists, South Antrim Sinn Fein Assemblyman Mitchel McLaughlin challenged unionists to publicly condemn the warning to his party colleague.
“This is a sick threat against a councillor who works tirelessly for her constituency in South Antrim," he said.
“She works for everyone and I would challenge unionist representatives to speak out and intervene directly to have this threat publicly withdrawn."
However fellow MLA Trevor Clarke of the DUP - who sits on Antrim Borough Council with Ms Logue - warned that her 'provocative language' could have prompted the threat.
“Firstly, I would like to say that I thought we had moved away from this sort of thing, and I don't believe that issuing threats against anyone is a good idea," he said.
“But some of the things she has come out with over the summer months have been quite provocative, and has no doubt motivated such actions against her.
“By no means do I support any threat to anyone on Antrim Borough Council, but I would point to her comments on issues such as Eleventh Night bonfires as to why this situation has occurred."
