An SDLP Assembly member is to meet Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Cowen today to object to the behaviour of soldiers from the Parachute regiment of the British army in Co Fermanagh. Mr Tommy Gallagher has already met the Northern Secretary to demand the regiment be withdrawn.
"My office has been contacted by even the most mild mannered of residents detailing their arrogant, aggressive and totally unacceptable behaviour," Mr Gallagher, an MLA for Fermanagh/South Tyrone, said.
Soldiers were pointing guns at people, lying in people's gardens and training guns at cars as they approached, he said.
The Parachute regiment has been particularly controversial since the start of the Troubles and it is a number of years since they have been seen in Fermanagh. The present regiment has been in the area since January.
"A lot of this has nothing to do with effective security - they are walking around the roads when people are going to Mass, dashing around and poking guns around corners, and when cars approach training their guns on them," he said.
Mr Gallagher, who lives in Belleek, said members of the regiment had also set up checkpoints and asked motorists to produce their licences without being accompanied by RUC officers. He has also complained about an incursion by the regiment into the Republic two weeks ago. He met Northern Secretary Dr John Reid last week and it was arranged for Mr Gallagher to meet the head of the regiment to discuss the soldiers' behaviour.
A spokesman for the British army said a company from the second battalion of the Parachute regiment was in Fermanagh for two reasons - because of the increase in dissident republican activity in the area and to provide protection for other soldiers dismantling six army bases along the Border.
"They are the same as any other infantry soldiers and they are not there for the good of their health. There have been a number of serious incidents involving dissident republicans over recent months in the west and south of the province." The spokesman said the incident when they crossed the Border was a genuine mistake.