By Alan Rodgers

PEOPLE living in the Killen Park area close to Castlederg were afraid to confront those who removed both flags and buntings during the early hours of Tuesday this week, it has been claimed.

Three cars were seen in the area during the incident which marks a further escalation in a long-running row on the contentious issue.

It follows the theft of some 30 flags from the Millbrook Gardens area of Castlederg last month.

Ulster Unionist Councillor, Derek Hussey, condemned the incident as sectarian and designed to provoke the community in what he said was an overwhelmingly Unionist area.

"We have to realise that people living in the Killen Park area of Killen would not have a problem with the flying of unionist cultural and associated flags," he said.

provocative

"Quite obviously there are those in the community who are prepared to commit an incursion into such an area and this in itself has to be totally and utterly condemned.

"I am aware through phonecalls which were received with regard to this that people were actually scared to confront those who perpetrated the offence," he added.

Cllr Hussey went on to urge those with information about the cars and their occupants to contact the police.

"This is the sort of scenario which is quite blatantly designed to be provocative and I would appeal to representatives from the nationalist community to ensure that this type of activity is curtailed forthwith," he added.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident which happened at around 1.40am on August 11 and was reported to them shortly after 8am on the same morning.

However, Sinn Féin councillor, Kieran McGuire, said he simply could not envisage a situation where nationalists would go into Killen Park to take down the flags and bunting.

He also claimed that a public discussion on the issue arranged to take place earlier this week was not attended by his counterpart on Strabane council.

"We have to remember that there are not just Union Jacks flying here, but also UDA, UVF, Red Hand Commando and UFF flags," he said.

"The flags are put in people's faces to annoy. Many respect the flags, but I feel that older people, who put their flag out in the morning and then took it in at night, must be sick of how these flags are tattered and torn and clearly disrespectful as a result."

Cllr McGuire says that last month he received assurances from prominent loyalists that flags will be removed in seven weeks.