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| Northern Ireland murder victim's brother under death threat | Northern Ireland murder victim's brother under death threat |
| (8 days later) | |
| The brother of a Derry man murdered by republican vigilantes earlier this year has been told his life is also now under threat. | The brother of a Derry man murdered by republican vigilantes earlier this year has been told his life is also now under threat. |
| The family of Andrew Allen, who was shot dead just over the border from the city in County Donegal nine months ago, revealed that police had told his brother his life was under threat. | The family of Andrew Allen, who was shot dead just over the border from the city in County Donegal nine months ago, revealed that police had told his brother his life was under threat. |
| The men's mother, Donna Smith, told the Guardian the family were informed on Monday that her son Daniel was now the target of a republican dissident death threat. | The men's mother, Donna Smith, told the Guardian the family were informed on Monday that her son Daniel was now the target of a republican dissident death threat. |
| Smith said she was "numb" that a second son was now being targeted less than a year after her eldest son, Andrew, was shot dead by Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD). | Smith said she was "numb" that a second son was now being targeted less than a year after her eldest son, Andrew, was shot dead by Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD). |
| She also disclosed that the death threat to Daniel Allen began on a fake Facebook page, which prompted them to meet community activists on Monday, who then relayed the warning to her son. | She also disclosed that the death threat to Daniel Allen began on a fake Facebook page, which prompted them to meet community activists on Monday, who then relayed the warning to her son. |
| Smith said her 26-year-old son had told the Allen family he was leaving Derry "to spare me and the rest of us another dreaded knock on the door". | Smith said her 26-year-old son had told the Allen family he was leaving Derry "to spare me and the rest of us another dreaded knock on the door". |
| Daniel Allen was in hiding on Tuesday and was too fearful to speak to the media, his mother said. | Daniel Allen was in hiding on Tuesday and was too fearful to speak to the media, his mother said. |
| She said: "Daniel is going today … He definitely has to go. He knows what they are capable of. He doesn't want to put us through any more stress. He doesn't want me to wait for the knock on the door again." | She said: "Daniel is going today … He definitely has to go. He knows what they are capable of. He doesn't want to put us through any more stress. He doesn't want me to wait for the knock on the door again." |
| Speaking from her home in Derry, Smith added: "It is unbelievable. I can't take it in. Now it's the new IRA, so it's them all right. Daniel had to bury his brother. This family is not even getting time to grieve. It's horrendous they would do it to us again. I could not believe it. I believe he is being targeted because Daniel is speaking out about what was done to his brother Andrew. | Speaking from her home in Derry, Smith added: "It is unbelievable. I can't take it in. Now it's the new IRA, so it's them all right. Daniel had to bury his brother. This family is not even getting time to grieve. It's horrendous they would do it to us again. I could not believe it. I believe he is being targeted because Daniel is speaking out about what was done to his brother Andrew. |
| "Now they have moved their grudge against Andrew on to Daniel. They can't understand that of course Daniel is angry. I cannot explain why they would do this. What threat do they think Daniel is? They think maybe we, the Allen family, are getting too close to the truth about what happened to him, and that they can pick us off. I am just numb." | "Now they have moved their grudge against Andrew on to Daniel. They can't understand that of course Daniel is angry. I cannot explain why they would do this. What threat do they think Daniel is? They think maybe we, the Allen family, are getting too close to the truth about what happened to him, and that they can pick us off. I am just numb." |
| Smith denounced her son's killers in the Guardian last May, describing Derry as a forgotten "city of fear" with young men constantly living in fear of being shot or exiled at gunpoint because they had crossed republican paramilitaries. | Smith denounced her son's killers in the Guardian last May, describing Derry as a forgotten "city of fear" with young men constantly living in fear of being shot or exiled at gunpoint because they had crossed republican paramilitaries. |
| The former Derry mayor Pat Ramsey appealed for the latest threat against another Allen brother to be lifted. | The former Derry mayor Pat Ramsey appealed for the latest threat against another Allen brother to be lifted. |
| Ramsey said: "I have been aware of tensions involving two local men over recent weeks involving paramilitaries, and today I have been told that both these men's lives are under threat. The Allen family in particular have been under enormous stress and are still traumatised over the death of Andrew. | Ramsey said: "I have been aware of tensions involving two local men over recent weeks involving paramilitaries, and today I have been told that both these men's lives are under threat. The Allen family in particular have been under enormous stress and are still traumatised over the death of Andrew. |
| "I have sought to facilitate through my office and with local stakeholders the prevalence of cool heads in this matter, but some have been determined to push the issue to a point where lives are being put at risk. | "I have sought to facilitate through my office and with local stakeholders the prevalence of cool heads in this matter, but some have been determined to push the issue to a point where lives are being put at risk. |
| "The police have visited the two men concerned today to warn them of the threat, which has obviously caused great fear and anguish to their families." | "The police have visited the two men concerned today to warn them of the threat, which has obviously caused great fear and anguish to their families." |
| Ramsey added that a local community centre had tried to have the threat lifted. | Ramsey added that a local community centre had tried to have the threat lifted. |
| "I call on the group who issued this threat to lift it immediately. They have no authority in this community to impose sentences on any of my constituents, nor anyone else. The actions of this group, despite intervention made by me and the Rosemount Resource Centre, is simply unacceptable and the disruption to these men's lives and their families' lives is unforgivable. | "I call on the group who issued this threat to lift it immediately. They have no authority in this community to impose sentences on any of my constituents, nor anyone else. The actions of this group, despite intervention made by me and the Rosemount Resource Centre, is simply unacceptable and the disruption to these men's lives and their families' lives is unforgivable. |
| "I am seeking to engage in further dialogue alongside local stakeholders to ensure that these two men have the threat against them lifted." | "I am seeking to engage in further dialogue alongside local stakeholders to ensure that these two men have the threat against them lifted." |
| Andrew Allen was shot dead after gunmen from RAAD fired shots at him through the living room of a so-called "safe house", where he had been staying in Buncrana, County Donegal, last February. He had fled Derry after receiving death threats from RAAD, which has been responsible for dozens of shootings and forced expulsions of young men from the city over the past few years. | Andrew Allen was shot dead after gunmen from RAAD fired shots at him through the living room of a so-called "safe house", where he had been staying in Buncrana, County Donegal, last February. He had fled Derry after receiving death threats from RAAD, which has been responsible for dozens of shootings and forced expulsions of young men from the city over the past few years. |
| RAAD, which has since joined the Real IRA in a new terror group styling itself the IRA, alleged Andrew Allen was a drug dealer and "career criminal" – a charge his family denied, claiming he had been targeted because he stood up to republicans in Derry. | RAAD, which has since joined the Real IRA in a new terror group styling itself the IRA, alleged Andrew Allen was a drug dealer and "career criminal" – a charge his family denied, claiming he had been targeted because he stood up to republicans in Derry. |
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