The Loyalist Volunteer Force has issued a death threat against a republican, Mr Colin Duffy, in Lurgan, the High Court in Belfast heard yesterday. A telephone caller was said to have told Mr Duffy's mother: "It will not be long now before he is taken out." The threat was also contained in a letter.
Mr Duffy (30) who is accused of assaulting a policeman in Lurgan last month, applied for a change in his bail conditions to minimise the risks to his life. He asked for a night-time curfew to be lifted and for a change in the arrangements for reporting to the RUC twice a week.
Mr Mark Mulholland, a barrister, said the LVF threat was contained in one of several letters which he handed to Mr Justice Sheil. He said two further incidents had added to the serious concern about Mr Duffy's safety.
The first involved the occupants of two cars who had been seen acting suspiciously near Mr Duffy's home. On another occasion, as Mr Duffy was on his way to report to Lurgan RUC station, he was followed and was forced to take a diversion after he recognised the occupants.
Mr Justice Sheil asked the lawyer for the police view of the threats and was told: "The belief is that he would be perceived as a target by loyalist paramilitaries." The judge said in those circumstances he would alter the bail conditions.
He removed the curfew which required Mr Duffy to be at home between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. and said he would permit him to live at an address other than his home provided he gave the police advance notice. The judge also reduced the requirement to report to police from twice to once a week on a day specified by the police but at no particular time.