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16 March 2006
Gambling Habits Should Not Have
Been Made Public
The
police have been accused of setting up for assassination the
leading loyalist Andre Shoukri by leaking details of his
alleged massive gambling.
The claim was made in the
High Court by Shoukri's lawyer during a bail application on
charges of blackmail, intimidation and money
laundering.
A Crown lawyer told the
court that 28 year-old Shoukri, alleged to be the UDA
"Brigadier" in north Belfast, had gambled £863,000 in
Stanleybet Bookmakers, York Street, Belfast, between April,
2003, and last August.
The figure was made public
earlier this year and Shoukri's lawyer Arthur Harvey, QC,
said the deliberate leaking by the police was calculated to
deny his client the beginnings of a fair trial and ear-mark
him as a potential candidate for assassination, similar to
the way in which ousted East Belfast loyalist Jim Gray was
murdered.
Mr Harvey said the killing
would be carried out by individuals who would feel that
Shoukri's behaviour did not meet what they demanded on
required.
"Regrettably, it would
appear that the police and the Chief Constable are more
prepared to do that in public rather than within the
confines of an interview," added Mr Harvey.
The court was earlier told
that Shoukri, who has been in custody since last November,
was receiving £200 a week for allowing Bonaparte's Bar
on the Cavehill Road to remain open.
It was allegeded he was
also getting between £300 and £400 a week from the
bar's gaming machines.
Lord Justice Nicholson
adjourned the application for the defence to be given
transcripts of police interviews with Shoukri before he was
charged last November.
"I may say that from what
I have been told the chances of this man getting bail are
not high," said the judge.
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