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RAAD respinge le critiche per il ferimento di Derry

RAAD respond to Red Star shooting criticism

Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) has responded to criticism of its decision to shoot a local businessman selling “legal highs” from his city centre shop.

Raymond Coyle (52) was shot three times in the legs inside his shop, Red Star, at Waterloo Street on Wednesday last.

His family believe he was targeted because his shop sells smoking paraphernalia and “legal highs” – drugs that can mirror the effects of some banned substances but have not been included in controlled substance legislation.

Mr. Coyle’s family insist he was never warned against selling “legal highs”. However, RAAD claim this isn’t the case.

The organisation pointed to a statement printed in the ‘Journal’ in December in which shopkeepers in the city were warned not to stock “legal highs” and drugs paraphernalia and to remove such items by Christmas.

The group also claims to have asked a local community worker with knowledge of drug issues to intervene in the hope that “moral thinking would prevail”.

When asked if it was aware of any threat against Mr. Coyle, the PSNI said it could not comment on individual cases.

In its statement, RAAD also rejected suggestions that it has a political agenda.

“RAAD has no political interest and we reject totally what the Coyle family have said in the media. We have stated before that we are neither anti-SDLP nor anti-Sinn Fein. Our only interest is to try to disrupt and minimise the inflow of drugs to our communities. We are not about a massive movement building towards some political uptake in arms.”

Amnesty

The organisation also claims that, to date, 35 people “have accepted our amnesty and now getting on with their lives. Three people were exiled but now have been allowed to return home and reintegrate in the community.”

The statement concluded: “The reality of the situation is this: we are here, our members are from the community, live and work in the community and we make no excuse for actions we carry out to stop Derry turning into another Dublin or Limerick.”

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René Querin

Di professione grafico e web designer, sono appassionato di trekking e innamorato dell'Irlanda e della sua storia. Insieme ad Andrea Varacalli ho creato e gestisco Les Enfants Terribles.

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