Friends of IRA murder victim facing fresh threats
A close friend of IRA murder victim Robert McCartney is under new threat from the Provisionals, he claimed tonight.
Jeff Commander, 34, said police warned him twice in the last week he may face action for testifying against two men accused of a vicious attack on him.
The father-of-five was left with serious head injuries after being beaten with iron bars and sewer rods near his home in Belfast’s staunchly nationalist Short Strand district.
He said: “I’m taking this very seriously.
“Another attack on me now seems inevitable sometime down the line if I don’t withdraw the charges.”
Mr Commander was the best friend of Mr McCartney, who was knifed to death outside a Belfast bar in January.
The murder victim’s sisters and fiancee, Bridgeen Hagans, have defied intimidation to mount a campaign for justice that has captured global attention.
They were outraged by the latest alleged intimidation against Mr Commander.
Catherine McCartney said: “This is a far more specific and direct threat than what we ourselves have come under.
“This seems to be coming from te IRA itself.”
Mr Commander was attacked by up to eight men in front of his wife Sinead last month.
At one stage a knife was allegedly produced by the gang.
The two men charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of an offensive weapon, a metal bar, were remanded in custody last week.
A day later it is understood police called at Mr Commander’s home.
He claims they warned him on Friday some Short Strand residents were “disgusted” police investigating the attack had made arrests and insisted he should not have made a complaint.
“It’s not known what action, if any, local residents intent to take against Commander,” the threat message allegedly said.
Officers returned on Monday to issue a second warning, Mr Commander added.
This time the caution was even more specific.
“The Provisional IRA continue to be unhappy that you have given evidence against PIRA members to the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland),” it allegedly said.
“Should this remain the case it’s their intention to carry out some form of attack on your person.”
Mr Commander confirmed he plans to increase security around his home.
“I want to live here but if anything happens I can’t put my family through this,” he admitted.
“If they had left it I might have dropped the charges, but at the minute this has just made me more determined.”
Sinn Féin rubbished the threat claims, insisting details were disclosed to undermine a new ceasefire watchdog’s report.
The Independent Monitoring Commission today declared the IRA’s move away from violence since it abandoned its armed struggle in July was showing encouraging signs.
A Sinn Féin spokesman said: “We dismiss anything coming from PSNI Special Branch.
“The IRA made its position clear in July, that its members aren’t interested in anything other than peaceful and democratic activity.
“We would be suspicious of the timing of this, just as efforts are going on to rebuild the peace process.
“In the past the RUC Special Branch have tried to undermine progress at times like this.”
The PSNI refused to comment on any warnings given to Mr Commander.
A spokeswoman said: “We do not discuss the personal security of any individual.
“Where we believe that someone needs to review their personal security, we take steps to inform them.
“We never ignore anything that could put someone at risk.”
