Scandalous arrest of leading republican
THE charging of Brendan McFarlane in Dublin yesterday
has been met with widespread disgust by republicans.
The Ardoyne man had been travelling home through
Dundalk on Monday when he was arrested. He was charged
on Wednesday in relation to the events surrounding the
kidnap of Don Tidey in 1983.
Brendan had only recently been released from Long Kesh
after serving a life sentence and the events
surrounding his arrest on Monday suggest RUC collusion
with the Garda.
It has emerged that his employers only received final
notice at 9.30am on Monday that he was to get his final
license (life sentence prisoners are ``released on
license'' and are thus not legally released until they
get the license).
Speaking to An Phoblacht outside a special court
hearing on Green Street, one of Brendan's relatives,
Angela McFarlane said, `This is a scandalous move at
this time in the peace process.
``What is also of particular concern to us is the timing
of it, considering that it was just on Monday morning,
and unknown to Brendan himself at the time of his
arrest, that the finals papers to give him his release
were ready for him to sign.''
Adding his voice to the concerns Sinn Féin
Vice-President Pat Doherty commented, ``The decision to
bring charges against Brendan McFarlane is deeply
unhelpful at this time.
``The behaviour and attitude of unionists and loyalists
in recent weeks has been to prevent any movement
towards real negotiations and those developments which
are needed to increase confidence in the efficacy of
the peace process.
``There will be a suspicion that in an attempt to
appease bogus unionist claims of concessions to
nationalists and republicans that Brendan McFarlane is
being scapegoated.''
![[An Phoblacht]](http://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/aprn.gif)