He’s awake ANALYSIS
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Vehicle on fire in Derry yesterday Novichok-poisoning victim Charlie Rowley being conscious is great news.
But counter-terror detectives and MI5 officers have to be immensely sensitive.
They must ensure he is in a fit state to be interviewed to learn how he and his partner Dawn Sturgess were poisoned.
BY
SECURITY EDITOR
Military remove car from address in Swindon
DEFENCE AND
Added to that is the difficulty of breaking news that she died.
His interviewers will film the conversation, with a medical expert present who can testify he was of sound mind. This will
protect them from him perhaps passing away. If he survives, he can testify in court.
But imagine if he states he and Dawn found something linked to an accused person – and the defence prove because of the poison he was in no fit state to make claims that led to an arrest, say of a key spy?
CHRIS HUGHES,
A HOUSING Executive van has been hijacked at gunpoint and torched in the fourth day of violence in Derry.
It is understood the driver was ordered out of the vehicle and it was set alight on Lecky Road at 4pm yesterday.
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood branded those behind the attack “gangsters”.
The Foyle MLA added: “It is absolutely disgraceful the driver was intimidated from his work van at gunpoint.
“Derry has suffered enough over the years without gangsters pulling reckless stunts like this, achieving nothing other than bringing the name of a great city into disrepute.
“We understand the Housing Executive will be reviewing services throughout the area in the interim due to the safety concerns of their staff.
“These gangsters must realise there is no gain in this behaviour, but simply more and more loss for the city and its residents.” Meanwhile, two police officers and a woman bystander were injured in another night of disorder on Monday.
More than 25 petrol bombs were thrown during disturbances in the Bogside area.
A car was also set on fire on Fahan Street and Lecky Road was blocked with burning wooden pallets.
Three people were arrested, with police warning more would follow.
A 16-year-old boy and a man, 50, have been charged.
A 20-year-old man remained in police custody yesterday.