Loyalists are thought to be behind a pamphlet and handwritten message entitled ‘Last Rites’, which was sent to the home of a leading SDLP councillor at the weekend.

East Derry councillor John Dallat, who received the pamphlet on Saturday, said he believed the letter was an attack on both him and the Catholic Church.

The front of the pamphlet illustrates a priest leaning over a dead body with a crucifix in his hand apparently administering the Last Rites of the Catholic Church. A comic strip then tells the story of a motorist called ‘John’ who falls out with his wife, crashes his car, gets killed and goes to hell because he accepted the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Councillor Dallat said: "Ostensibly this is an attack on my church but I have no doubt that there are other sinister undertones intended judging by the handwritten message on the back of the envelope which bears a Scottish postage stamp and frank."

Mr Dallat revealed that a similar threat was placed on a Loyalist website giving his personal details which was later removed after police put pressure on the service provider.

He continued: "My home address had a spelling error which matches the error on this most recent vile correspondence indicating it has come from the same pathetic individuals who are living a very low form of existence."

"It is clear that intimidation is still thriving and even when those involved take themselves off to Bonny Scotland they still can’t resist sending their sectarian and bigoted thoughts back in the post to others who are striving for peace and an end to division created by the very people who are determined to keep it alive," he concluded.

(MB)