Why was I raided?
A community activist working in the troubled interface area between Bishop Street and the Fountain has issued a challenge to Acting Chief Inspector John Burrows to explain why police raided his home and the home of his elderly mother-in-law for over seven hours last week.
Eugene McLoone's home on Abercorn Road was raided last Tuesday. More than 30 items were taken from his home, including eight mobile phones, two laptops, a PC, DVD player and CCTV equipment.
Mr McLoone, who works for the Bishop Street Community Development Association and is active in working to prevent interface violence, said the experience has left him "disgusted and angry" and his family have been left "traumatised".
Mr McLoone alleges that during the seven hour raid on his home, police:
- refused to explain why the search was being carried out, referring him only to the warrant.
- searched his medication and questioned his medical history.
- seized his nine year-old daughter's laptop, which she had received as a Christmas present.
- scanned through all their personal bank statements and financial records.
- made a map of his home and recorded where each of his children slept.
- seized computer equipment used by his teenage children, who are at university and require a computer for their studies.
- searched the contents of their freezer, leaving the food unfit for human consumption.
- seized CCTV equipment he installed following attacks on his home.
He said; "I'm a community worker - my position within the community has been compromised. My faith, and my community's faith, in the police force has been compromised. I am angry and I want answers. I want Chief Inspector Burrows to come here and explain to the people of this neighbourhood why this raid took place.
"I want him to explain to my nine year-old why he took her Christmas present away. The wee girl is left devastated. She is afraid to leave the house. She didn't want to go to school in case the police came for her there.
"How do you explain such things to a nine year-old?"
'Rights violated'
Mr McLoone said that police had violated his civil rights, and those of his 84 year-old mother-in-law whose house was also searched.
"The warrant said they were looking for guns, or bomb-making equipment or items which could be used to train terrorists. Sure, I could see my 84 year-old mother-in-law training terrorists all right, or my nine year-old."
He added: "Mr Burrows spoke of the inconvenience caused by those who planted the hoax device last week on the bridge. What about the inconvenience caused to my family? My house has been turned upside down. My reputation is in tatters.".
A spokesperson for the PSNI yesterday said: "Police carried out a number of searches in the city last Tuesday as part of an ongoing investigation into serious crime. Anyone with a genuine complaint to make regarding police action should contact the Police Ombudsman who will carry out a full and independent examination. "
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Sunday 27 May 2012
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