Notorious rapist is suspect in new phone call threat to McEntee
■ ANOTHER SECURITY ALERT IN JUST A WEEK ■ EVIL MURRAY CAGED FOR EARLIER MENACES
GARDAI were last night probing a THIRD threatening phone call made against Justice Minister Helen McEntee – and notorious rapist Michael Murray is one of the suspects.
Sources have told The Star that the phone call, which directly threatened the Minister, was made to the Samaritans helpline late on Saturday night.
It is the third such threatening call to be made in less than a week and has sparked yet another security alert for specialist gardai.
Evacuation
Two phone calls had already been made on Wednesday, sparking the evacuation of the Minister’s husband and children from her family home at the time.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice declined to comment for security reasons.
Sources say notorious rapist Michael Murray is now being probed in relation to the calls, but have stressed it is too early to identify one suspect.
It comes after Murray’s recent conviction to this newspaper before his trial, Murray still pleaded not guilty and was convicted by a jury.
He was given two years extra in jail on top of the combined 35 years he is already serving for abducting and raping a woman and then issuing death threats to her.
Gardai told The Star:
“An Garda Siochana does not comment on security details relating to individual State officials or Government ministers.”
Yesterday, Taoiseach
Simon Harris said the warning signs around the abuse of politicians and public figures need to be taken seriously “before the unthinkable happens”.
He said politics has become more divisive and dangerous for elected representatives on all sides of the political spectrum.
Mr Harris was speaking at an event in Co Monaghan to mark 50 years since the death of former Fine Gael TD and senator Billy Fox.
Harris said “angry mobs” have targeted the homes of politicians with elected representatives afraid now of what might happen to them or their families.
The Fine Gael leader said: “We know how this story ends.
Warnings
“We have had too many warnings and we need to take them seriously before the unthinkable happens.” Yesterday’s event was to mark 50 years since Fine Gael Senator Billy Fox was killed during the Troubles. The Taoiseach said while “none since have been shot down in cold blood... we can’t be complacent”. He also said the “full power of the law” will be used to protect democracy and said the far right or far left will not be allowed to “threaten, intimidate, or worse”.