Ferris assaulted at Kerry police station

Date: 12th Mar '02

Name: Article from RM Irish news round up

Ferris assaulted at Kerry police station

Sinn Fein Ard Chomhairle member and election candidate Martin
Ferris has been released after being beaten during some 13 hours
of detention at Killarney's Garda police station.

His arrest and assault is the latest incident in a long-running
campaign of harassment and intimidation of Sinn Fein election
workers in north Kerry. The constituency is a critical one in
the May general election for the governing Fianna Fail party as
well as the opposition parties.

Last night, upon his release, Mr Ferris revealed he had been
assaulted in Garda custody during a day of "interrogation",
grabbed by the throat and pushed around the room.

He said he had made an official complaint to the Gardai. There
was no comment from the Kerry police.

"I was caught by the throat, pushed against a wall, my arms were
twisted.

"I was pushed around the room. I requested a doctor and he noted
the marks on my body," he said. He repeated his denial that he
had been involved in any vigilante activity, as suggested by
Gardai.

Mr Ferris said he had put the matter into the hands of his
lawyer.

Sinn Fein's director of elections in North Kerry James Sheahan
was among the party members arrested before. All were released
without charge.

Sinn Fein MP Martin McGuinness had appealed directly to the
Taoiseach "to bring an end to the campaign of political
harassment". He described the arrest as an "outrageous
politically motivated attack".

Though angry over the arrest, local Sinn Fein members said it was
no great surprise to them, while Cavan-Monaghan TD Caoimhghin O
Caolain said what was being done would "backfire" as the public
could see through it.

Sources in other parties were also reported to have said his
arrest so close to an election was more likely to win Mr Ferris
votes than frighten voters off.

c. RM Distribution and others. Articles may be reprinted with credit

RM Distribution
Irish Republican News and Information http://irlnet.com/rmlist/
PO Box 160, Galway, Ireland Phone/Fax: (353)1-6335113 PO Box 8630, Austin TX 78713, USA mailto:rmlist-reply@irlnet.com

Back to discussion page                    RA home page