By Conor Sharkey
A Strabane woman was recovering last night after a paramilitary threat mistakenly imposed against her was lifted.
The amazing 48 hours of events began on Monday evening with an attack on a Ballycolman Estate house. It ended yesterday, Wedneesday, with a grouping making the embarrassing admission that it had threatened the wrong person.
The unwitting 23-year-old victim was at home on Monday night when her front window was smashed in. The attackers ran off while the terrified woman fled to her mother's house and contacted the police.
In a message relayed through the Chronicle on Tuesday, a spokesperson for a group styling itself 'Community Action Against Drugs' claimed the attack, saying "large scale drug parties" would not be tolerated in the Ballycolman. He added that the occupant had 24 hours to leave the area or face further repercussions. In a second sinister twist, the letters 'RAAD', initials for paramilitary grouping 'Republican Action Against Drugs' were daubed on the side of the house overnight on Monday.
While the CAAD spokesperson did give the surname of their intended target, it did not tally with that of the current occupant.
The Chronicle initially spoke to the attack victim, who said that despite the mix-up, she would not be returning home until the mystery attack was solved. She then enlisted the help of the IRSP. An IRSP spokesperson told us that they had spoken with members of a vigilante group that has been operating in the Ballycolman. As suspected, it was a case of mistaken identity and no threat against the young woman existed.
Speaking about her rollercoaster 48-hour ordeal, the victim said she was relieved she could now return home.
"It was an awful experience but I honestly knew there was no reason for anyone to target our house. The only people who come and go are family.
"So I'm very relieved and while I knew it had to be a mistake, you can't be sure until you find out for sure.
"Now that it has been sorted out, we will be going back to the house. It has been a frightening few days but it doesn't seem as daunting going home now knowing it's all over," she added.
