Honorary vice president of Republican Sinn Féin expresses anger over police search

The honorary vice president of Republican Sinn Féin has hit out at police who last week searched the County Derry home he shares with his 79 year-old wife.

Detectives from the Terrorism Investigation Unit were involved in Thursday evening's search of Mickey McGonigle's house.

Mr McGonigle said his wife was at home alone when 15 police officers arrived at around 7pm with a warrant to search the property which is on the outskirts of Dungiven.

Mickey said the police told his wife the search was in connection with their investigation into threats issued by armed and masked men in numerous bars in Dungiven recently

Mickey, who is 80 years-old, had just left the house a short time beforehand and was shocked when he returned to discover that his home was being torn apart by police.

“There were ten RUC officers inside the house and five of them outside at the sheds. They spent a good two hours there,” Mickey told the County Derry Post.

“They searched the whole premises, they searched the very cups in the dresser, the fridge, the freezer and the bread cupboard. They even lifted the lid off the butter dish and looked inside it. They did everything, every inch of the house.

“One of the RUC men even asked my wife 'have you any money stashed by that your husband doesn't know about?'”

“This whole thing has very much annoyed my wife.”

Mickey said other family members who arrived at his home while the search was ongoing were refused access by police.

“Why were the RUC coming to me to search my home?” questioned Mickey.

“I have nothing to hide, the only reason I think they searched the house is because I would have been friendly with one of the men who is accused in connection with the incident they are investigating and I intend to continue to be good friends with him too.”

The only item police removed from the property was a key belonging to Mickey's car.

Republican Sinn Féin vice president Martin Kelly has also condemned the incident.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “Detectives from the Terrorism Investigation Unit, investigating a report that a number of masked and armed men entered licensed premises in Dungiven on Friday, 19th January, conducted a number of searches in the Dungiven area on Thursday, 25th January.”