BYMICHAEL BRESLIN

An Enniskillen man told the 'Herald' this week how uniformed detectives offered him £300 to spy on a number of local Republicans, one of them a friend.

According to Fermanagh Independent Councillor, Bernice Swift he is one of two young men from the Enniskillen area to have been approached by British Special Branch/MI5 in a recruitment attempt.

She challenged the Chief Constable, Sir Hugh Orde to justify informer recruitment by suggesting that Republicans were the people committing crimes.

"These two young men who were approached by Special Branch completely thwarted and rejected outright this move towards them, and I wish to draw attention to others, if approached, to most certainly refute these advances, highlight it to their trusted elected representatives and to also make contact with their legal advisors without delay."

The man, who asked not to be named, said he had driven his van up off Forthill Street towards the Forthill intending to drive down and park when the car came up behind.

"The men in the car got out and straightaway they identified themselves as detectives, although they were in uniform. I was on my own but, in all fairness, they were quite polite. I tried to be as polite as I could and, when they invited me to spy on three or four people who are well-known throughout the town. I told them twice I would have to decline.

"There were no threats made or anything untoward said. They asked me to provide them with information on the usual suspects and they were going to give me £300. They didn't spook me but they had my Credit card details and when you're presented with information like that, it makes you think."

Overall, he found their manner cordial and, when he insisted he had nothing to tell them, the men walked off.

"What I will say is they weren't approaching random people on the street. These boys had done their work. The next morning, they text me to tell me the offer still stood. That was three or four weeks ago, and I haven't heard from them since."

Councillor Swift, condemning the approach, said agents and informers were personally responsible for some of the most vile and repugnant sectarian murders over three decades of armed conflict. "The fact that two men in the Enniskillen area were offered sums of public money only adds to the public concern and, especially the concerns of those who were assured this type of informer-recruitment would end with the St Andrews Agreement."

She referred to the Chief Constable's annual Report where, under the heading, 'intelligence transfer' it notes that, 'a high level of co-operation between PSNI and MI5 has helped the transfer take place smoothly.

She also referred to 'the routine dropping of charges in criminal trials when informers and State agents are implicated'.

A PSNI spokesman said that in situations like these, the Police did not comment. However, if anyone wished to make a complaint, they should do so through the Police Ombudsman's Office where it would be fully investigated.