The Catholic priest who witnessed the completion of IRA disarmament is being investigated by police for alleged incitement to hatred after comparing Northern Ireland Protestants to Nazis, it was confirmed today.
Father Alec Reid is being investigated after the Police Service of Northern Ireland received a formal complaint about his comments at a public meeting on IRA decommissioning at a Belfast church last week.
The complaint has been made by Willie Frazer of the Families Acting for Innocent Relatives which represents victims of IRA violence.
Fr Reid's alleged comments were made during a heated exchange involving Mr Frazer.
The priest, who is credited with helping to broker the IRA ceasefire in 1994 by setting up talks between Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams and the then SDLP leader John Hume, has apologised for the outburst which caused widespread outrage.
He likened the treatment of Catholics in Northern Ireland by Protestants to that of the Jews in Germany by the Nazis. Issuing a fulsome apology after calming down, he said he had been deeply provoked and in the heat of the moment lost his temper.
The PSNI confirmed today that officers in south Belfast had "received a complaint following an alleged incident that occurred at a public meeting" last Wednesday and an investigation had been mounted.
Mr Frazer's solicitor, Democratic Unionist Party MLA Arlene Foster, said he felt he had to act, not only for himself but others who had contacted him.
"A lot of people contacted his office to express their distress," she said.
"He also has also been taunted by nationalists giving him Nazi salutes and shouting 'Heil Hitler," she said. Ms Foster said it would be up to the police if they decided to proceed with a prosecution.
She added: "We feel the Public Order Order could be used to bring a complaint.
"It says a person who uses threatening or abusive or insulting words or behaviour is guilty."
PA