If the reports accurately reflect the judge’s decision it’s an interesting shift in emphasis. Ihab Shoukri’s third bail application on charges of “membership of the the UDA and UFF and professing to belonging to those organisations” has been denied. Previously, in July, Belfast High Court Lord Justice Nicholson had said that “he was concerned that if Shoukri was granted bail he would be a danger to the community and there would be public disorder” when denying the application. This time, seemingly, the reason given was that Shoukri could be killed if he was released. So, we’ll have to wait to see the strength, or lack, of the case presented by the PPS.. not that there’s a pattern at all.. UpdatedA little more information from this brief report
A previous bail hearing was told that UDA leaders had discussed murdering Shoukri before deciding to expel him and yesterday’s court heard that police had advised him of two death threats.
“Given those threats to him and the consequent risk to the public we feel very strongly that he should be kept in custody,” said the lawyer.
There are a few other individuals to whom that criteria could also be applied, you know…