Dr Sean Brady: Condemned the threats

Dr Sean Brady said it was a "sinister attempt" to rid the organisations of Catholic representation.

His comments come after the latest in a series of threats against Catholic members of the boards, which have led to two members resigning.

On Wednesday morning, a car at the home of Londonderry district policing group member Marian Quinn was destroyed in an arson attack.

A breeze block was put through the back window of Mrs Quinn's disabled husband's car at Coshowen, in Galliagh. A petrol container was found on the back seat.

Mrs Quinn said the police warned her on Tuesday night that they had received a threat from the Real IRA that all Catholic members of the DPP throughout Northern Ireland are what they called "legitimate targets".

She said she was still considering whether to leave the Derry partnership.

"I am frightened for myself and I am frightened for my family, what mother wouldn't be," she said.

"But a stand has to be taken and these men have to be told no, enough is enough, we have just had enough of it."

It is totally unacceptable and I know that the Catholic community will not allow itself to be threatened and bullied in this way Denis Bradley Policing Board Vice Chairman

Catholic Primate Archbishop Sean Brady condemned the intimidation.

He said: "Violence and intimidation have no place in a community which believes in freedom and human rights.

"District Police partnerships are a central part in the building of an accountable and representative police service."

Stormont Security Minister, Jane Kennedy, called the latest attack "the lowest form of bullying".

"I understand that these specific attacks have been brought forward by the Real IRA who owe allegiance to nobody and have utter disregard, it would appear to anyone," she said.

Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness condemned the threats and said the IRA was not involved.

He said dissident groups were responsible and should disband.

"It's absolutely deplorable, it's unjustifiable. I believe that nobody has the right to threaten Mrs Quinn. Nobody has the right to threaten any member of her family. Nobody has the right to torch her car," he said.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble described those responsible for the recent attacks as absolutely despicable.

Mr Trimble said attempts to intimidate those involved in providing civic involvement in policing should be rejected by everyone.

Mrs Quinn's husband's car was set alight outside the family home

SDLP leader Mark Durkan said he would like to believe the IRA was not involved.

He described those behind the attack as gutless, faceless, and ruthless and said they would not succeed.

Mr Durkan also called on the IRA to make a statement regarding its position, which he said would be helpful.

The vice-chairman of the Policing Board, Denis Bradley, said the attack on Mrs Quinn and others in the policing partnerships were reprehensible and must be totally condemned.

"This attack was an attack not just on Mrs Quinn and her family, but on the entire Catholic community by members of the Catholic community," he said.

"It is totally unacceptable and I know that the Catholic community will not allow itself to be threatened and bullied in this way."

Resignations

The attack is the latest in a series of threats to members of policing partnerships across the province.

Teresa Rooney, a member of Cookstown DPP, stood down on Tuesday and last week an independent nationalist in Fermanagh resigned following a threat from the Real IRA.

Other attacks have included an attack on a car belonging to a DDP member in Strabane which was set alight outside the school where he was teaching and a hoax bomb which was left outside the home of a DPP chairman in Tyrone.

News of the incidents came as Policing Oversight Commissioner Tom Constantine said that threats from dissident republicans to kill community policing board members were the biggest test yet for the new arrangements.

On Tuesday, Mr Constantine urged political leaders and clergymen to intensify efforts to combat the threat.

"This is the first time I have been here that I have seen a fully fledged intent to destroy the Patten (police reform) plan," he said.

"The intimidation of citizens' groups trying to work with police has a chilling effect on the entire neighbourhood and community."

"Some people, whether their reasons are political or criminal, want to destroy the Patten reforms."