A Sinn Féin representative had a gun pointed at him as he warmed up for a football match, it emerged today.
He was singled out by a masked man on the pitch in Coleraine, Co Derry, Sinn Féin councillor Billy Leonard said. The football player ran off and flagged down a car to escape, he added.
Mr Leonard, who has blamed loyalists, said: "It is hard to say from initial reports if this was an elaborate scare tactic or if a real attack was avoided . . . the attacker definitely asked for the person by name and was approaching him across the pitch pointing the weapon."
The incident happened on Saturday close to the Community Centre in the Ballysally estate.
The gunman, who checked in the changing rooms if the Sinn Féin man was playing, went onto the pitch and singled out his target.
Police confirmed they were investigating threats, although no report was made to them at the time.
Detectives believe the gunman was wearing a black balaclava, bomber jacket and trousers.