Death threat against Sinn Fein Colr. Sean McGlinchey

Sinn Fein councillor Sean McGlinchey has said he has been told that an unknown republican group has issued a death threat against him.

The former mayor of Limavady told the ‘Journal’ on Wednesday he had been made aware of the threat by the PSNI.

“I’ve been told the threat is because of my work with the PSNI regarding the recent bombs in Dungiven and Banagher,” Colr. McGlinchey told the ‘Journal’.

“I make no bones about it. That bomb planted in Ard-Na-Smoll in Dungiven was where a young family lived. The PSNI had to be called to come in and diffuse it. Who else was going to do that?”

Colr. McGlinchey, a former ex-IRA prisoner who served 18 years for his role in the car bomb in Coleraine in 1973, said he is “very disappointed” by the threat against him.

He vowed the threat would not stop him from his work as a councillor and creating a safer community and helping people.

“I have always respected other republican groups. I do not agree with their military campaigns, and I have consistently called for these groups to engage in talks, but this is disappointing.”

Colr. McGlinchey added: “I will continue to do my work and work with the community and help people. It’s just very disappointing that this is what republicanism has come to. It’s a sad day.”

A PSNI spokesperson said: “We do not discuss the security of individuals. However, if we receive information that a person’s life may be at risk we will inform them accordingly. We never ignore anything which may put an individual at risk. No inference should be drawn from this.