Dublin: Secret Police Terrorise Young Family

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Tuesday August 21, 2007 14:13 by republican socialist

The membership of Dublin IRSP has reacted angrily to the latest persecution by the special branch on a member of the party and his family. Yesterday evening twelve members of the special branch raided his family home and physically assaulted one of his sons who answered the door. Four of his children ranging from 20 years of age to a child of 10 were home at the time watching television when they were confronted by twelve special branch officers wielding machine guns and handguns, they were thrown to the ground and handcuffed, whilst firearms were held to there heads. The children were informed by an individual later identified as Detective Sergeant O’Driscoll (Harcourt Street) that they had a warrant to search the house for firearms.

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He then interrogated them about the whereabouts of there parents, where he was told that there mother was out shopping and there father was at work. They were then questioned about a number of people most of whom were members of Dublin IRSP. At around this time the mother of the house arrived home where she was dragged into the house by members of the special branch. She was pushed into the sitting room where her children were laying face down handcuffed and clearly traumatised. When she started screaming, she was told by O’ Driscoll that he was a member of special branch and that they had received information that weapons were been stored in the house and that her children were handcuffed as a precaution. She told him that it was total rubbish and to untie her kids immediately. When her children were untied, she was asked questions on her husband’s whereabouts, his association with named members of the IRSP, etc. She told them that her husband was at work and that she and her husband were life long republicans and any association with the individuals mentioned was purely of a legitimate political nature.

For over four hours, members of the special branch with specialised equipment tore there family home apart looking for imaginary weapons, in there frustration they tore out light fittings, smashed ornaments and kicked in doors, and all for what “NOTHING”. They took away IRSP tickets for an upcoming function, house keys, papers relating to her husbands business and a computer hard-drive, but what they left behind is a family totally traumatised by yesterday’s events. What words of comfort can be offered to a mother who witnessed her terrified children lying face down, handcuffed and frightened and her home turned upside down, and what makes it worse for this family is that the special branch can do what they want because they are a law upon themselves, that they are unaccountable for their actions. The family in question will be making a number of complaints to the police ombudsman in the coming days.