Loyalist funding plans are cynical ploy to exploit people's fears over robberies

2.00.30pm GMT Wed 13th Dec 2006

Newtownabbey Alliance Councillor, Tom Campbell

Alliance Party Spokesman Cllr Tom Campbell has attacked the idea of loyalist paramilitaries establishing neighbourhood watch groups in a bid to gain funding from the government. He stated that in light of the recent robberies carried out on five pensioners in County Antrim, the police must act to stop paramilitary thugs trying to exploit local people's fears. This news was revealed by the Sunday life last weekend.

Tom Campbell, a member of Newtownabbey Council and Newtownabbey District Policing Partnership, said: "It is appalling that paramilitaries think that they can exploit the fears of local people in a cynical bid to gain government funding.

"The government should not consider funding paramilitary groups in any way whatsoever, let alone be hoodwinked into thinking that paramilitaries can act as neighbourhood watch.

"The only way that criminals can be caught and punished is through the police and courts. The police must do everything they can to catch the thugs who robbed the five pensioners across County Antrim in order to allay the fears of local people. The public should be encouraged to set up neighbourhood watch schemes in co-operation with police and their District Policing Partnership.

"This is yet another cynical ploy by loyalist paramilitaries to get money from the government. If it is not bad enough that these paramilitaries have extorted cash from the community for decades, they now want to get cash from the government and pretend to protect the very same community from criminals."

ENDS