by Gareth Cross
All the main republican groups in Derry have denied issuing a threat to a Protestant man working in the Creggan area.
On Thursday Sinn Fein councillor Kevin Campbell said 'criminal gangs' had issued a 'dissident sectarian threat' against a 64-year-old man involved in community work in the Creggan area.
The man currently works at the Ballymagowan Allotment Site and has not returned to work since receiving the threat.
Cllr Campbell said that the local community was in shock at the news of the threat and that people living in the area "will not stand for any sort of sectarian or racists threats no matter where they come from".
He called for the threat to be lifted and the man to be allowed to return to work.
Police have said they do not comment on the security of individuals, but if they are aware of information that a person's life may be at risk, they will inform them.
However it has now emerged that republican groups did not issue the threat against the man.
Informed sources close to the situation have told The Derry News that all the main republican groups have denied involvement in the threat.
Tommy McCourt of Rosemount Resource Centre's 'Time 2 Choose' project, which mediates when paramilitary threats are issued, has said that work is currently ongoing to establish who is behind the threat.
'Not valid'
Independent local councillor Gary Donnelly said that the matter must be fully investigated to allow the man involved to return to work.
"My understanding is that the threat has been followed up and it isn't valid," he said.
"To threaten somebody because of their religion is completely wrong but people need to get to the bottom of it and make sure that there is no threat and allow this man to return to work.
"Condemnation and shouting and roaring on the television and radio won't get that done, work needs to be done behind the scenes to make sure the man is safe."
He said that he did not think republican groups would be behind such a threat.
"It's ludicrous to think that somebody would achieve anything by threatening someone because of their background. It's unbelievable," said Cllr Donnelly.
"There is sectarianism within our society and this city, something like this could have a knock-on effect. It achieves nothing, sectarianism is a cancer.
"The fact that all known armed groups have rejected involvement in this is welcome. I would be very sceptical of any republican group getting involved in this kind of activity because it wouldn't advance any cause and would be counter-productive. The danger is it could give ammunition to people who would engage in sectarianism to take part in retaliation."
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