November 15, 2015
Northern Ireland

Unhappy locals might have been behind wind farm threat

Ulster Herald | November 15, 2015 | ulsterherald.com

A Sinn Féin councillor has said he does not believe paramilitaries were behind a threat issued against contractors on a Carrickmore wind farm site last week.

It is one week since two masked gunmen drove to the location at Gortfinbar, off the Whitebridge Road, ordering workers from Alexander Civil Engineering to leave the site within 24 hours.

Up to 25 employees of the Omagh engineering firm had been working at the site since the start of September.

The firm moved its plant and equipment off the wind farm last Friday, with no signs that they intend to return.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the armed threat.

Speculation in the area has suggested however that ‘disgruntled locals’ may have been responsible for the threat.

Yet Cllr Sean Donnelly said he has not been able to ascertain where the threat came from.

“I do not think the threat has come from any paramilitary group, traditionally those threats tend to come through the police,” he said.

“It could be somebody who has a gripe with the development, but other than that, I have not been able to narrow it down.”
On Monday, the councillor who owns farmland next to the site, met with Alexander Civil Engineering.

“They are very unhappy about the incident and are completely in the dark as to why this happened.

“They are confused and very disappointed; this is the first time this has happened to them.

“I have reassured them that I will do all I can for them,” said the Sinn Féin man.

“The most important thing is to get the threat lifted and get the people back working on the site again.”

Meanwhile Mid Tyrone Ulster Unionist councillor Bert Wilson has condemned the actions of those behind the threat.

“In a democratic country, criminality and threats with weapons is not the way forward.

“A lot of these gun gangs about now are hangers on from what was there years ago,” claimed the UUP man.

“I would deplore the fact that this intimidation took place. It’s something that happens too often in our country.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2015/11/15/unhappy-locals-might-have-been-behind-wind-farm-threat/