14/02/2003

Loyalist death threats condemned by postal unions

The Royal Mail have confirmed that they are treating loyalist death threats made against postal workers in Belfast seriously.

Postal unions have condemned the threats and the Royal Mail are understood to be in discussions with police to increase security for postal workers. It is reported that two of the employees threatened are managers.

The Irish News said that the paper had received a threat against Catholic postmen, one of whom was named.

A union spokesperson said that postal workers were particularly vulnerable and were easy targets as they went about Northern Ireland on their own in the early hours of the day.

Community leaders have condemned the threats and asked for them to be withdrawn immediately.

In January last year, a Catholic postal worker, father of one Daniel McColgan, was killed by the UDA. Postal deliveries were disrupted for two days and rallies were held across Northern Ireland to protest at the killing.

Also in the Belfast area police have warned a number of people that they are on a list of names and addresses believed to have been compiled by the UDA. The list was discovered on a computer disk during investigations into the activities of loyalist paramilitaries in Belfast.

(SP)

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