A WELL-financed witch-hunt has been launched against five Oxford left wingers.
But this is no normal witch-hunt; it is an incitement to the type of violence associated with extreme Loyalists in the North of Ireland.
The five victims are Pat Lally, Alan Thornett, Peter McKintyre, Tony Richardson, and Dave. Simpson. Their photographs and names appear in posters being widely circulated in Oxford.
The posters publicise the participation of the five in demonstration in Oxford on 20 October in support of political status for Irish Republican prisoners and the immediate withdrawal of British troops from the North of Ireland.
The poster is designed in such a way as to suggest the five are members of the IRA.
The poster's headline reads "Do you know these people?' It goes on: 'On 20 October people marched through the streets of Oxford in support of the IRA (the latter in bold, large letters). Most of us looked on in disgust and amazement and wondered who were these IRA sympathisers.' Then, in large, bold letters: Well we thought we would tell you!' The names, addresses, telephone numbers union positions, and workplaces of the five then follow under photographs of each of them.
Whoever is behind this poster is spending a lot of money. Thousands were distributed outside the workplace of the five by individuals paid £10 to do the dirty work. The posters were also mailed to every house in the street where the five live.
There are a number of obvious suspects with regard to the leaders of this witch-hunt - fascists, Loyalists, even right-wing