Leading Saoradh figure ‘interned’

Posted by Jim on February 23, 2019

A member of the Saoradh executive is being held indefinitely on the
back of an MI5-directed arrest operation, despite the existence of
video and social media evidence which should have meant his immediate
release.

A frequent target of Crown Force harassment, Ardoyne republican Alan
Lundy was taken from his home late on Friday night, February 15, by a
PSNI squad who raided his partner’s home and their children’s bedrooms.

He appeared before Belfast Magistrates Court on Monday accused of being
one of two masked anti-drug vigilantes who entered a house on the
Ligoniel Road in north Belfast on Friday night.

The allegations have been rubbished by his defence lawyer Darragh
Mackin, who said Mr Lundy had provided a detailed account of his
whereabouts on the night in question. This includes being in a fast
food outlet at Castledawson 40 miles away from the scene of the
incident, then travelling home.

Mr Mackin told the court that it was a “fundamental case of mistaken
identity”.

But despite CCTV evidence from Castledawson, as well as digital
evidence of his return home, District Judge Fiona Bagnall refused Mr
Lundy bail.

Alan’s brother Daniel said that he is innocent and his arrest and
remand is the latest in a long list of intimidation.

“Alan is innocent, it is just internment,” he said. “There is
sufficient evidence to prove where he was at the time of this so-called
incident. He is constantly stopped and searched and harassed. His
family know where he was and everyone knows where he was.

“Alan’s partner’s house was searched and has been on numerous occasions
with the doors put through and his kids literally dragged from their
bed at all hours of the morning. This is nothing but MI5-directed.”

North Belfast Saoradh representative Dee Fennell says Alan is “a victim
of the state”.

“Evidence has already been presented to the Magistrates Court when it
was alleged he was involved in an incident in Ligoniel that he was 40
miles away in a fast food outlet and there is CCTV to prove that,” he
said. “There is also proof via his phone that he was not there. There
were also conflicting witness reports – one said it was Alan wearing a
beige coat and the other said it was Marty wearing a black coat.

“In any other situation, Alan would be at home with his family and
children but instead he was remanded and sent to Maghaberry. This is
the second time Alan has been a victim of malicious prosecution and
internment.

“In 2012, Alan was a steward at a GARC protest and was accused by a
PSNI officer of throwing a stone. He was sent to Maghaberry and served
three months and it was only then that the PSNI officer retracted the
evidence. His family is constantly harassed on a regular basis and, in
my view, Alan is a victim of the state.

“In the last ten years, Alan has been arrested between 25 and 30 times,
had his house raided on more occasions than that, stopped and searched
hundreds of time.

“I am a youth worker. There are four definitions of abuse: physical,
psychological, sexual and neglect. No-one can tell me that Alan Lundy’s
children being dragged out of their beds in the middle of the night is
not psychological abuse of children.

“Alan Lundy personifies what is happening to republicans across the six
counties