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Facebook comments inquiries 'ongoing'

POLICE have refused to say whether anyone else has been questioned over Facebook comments about a imaginary gun and bomb attack on a republic parade in Co Tyrone.

DUP councillor Ruth Patterson was charged with posting a gross-ly offensive communication on the website after she said such an attack would be "a great service to Northern Ireland".

However, her remarks were not the only ones to be posted on the social networking site in support of the idea.

Last night, a PSNI spokesman would only say that "inquiries are ongoing" into the matter.

The police service has been criticised by Ms Patterson's party for what they described as her "sensationalist" arrest.

The DUP - which came out strongly against the Belfast councillor's remarks - last night said Ms Patterson had not been suspended despite being charged.

"We will allow due process to take its course," a spokesman said.

He said the party would not respond until either its internal investigation or that of the court authorities had been completed.

Ms Patterson (57) is due to appear in court later this month.

The former Belfast deputy lord mayor apologised soon after making the comment, putting it down to "a lapse of judgment".

Ms Patterson had been responding to another Facebook user who had posted a fictitious report of an attack on this weekend's republican parade in Castlederg.

The offending material, which appeared under the name 'Brian Ulsterman', has since been removed.

The post reported that an indiscriminate gun and bomb attack had killed leading Sinn Fein members including Deputy First Minister Martin Mcguinness, party president gerry Adams and West Tyrone MLA Barry Mcelduff.

Responding to the post, Ms Patterson wrote: "Who cares how we would be judged, we would have done a great service to Northern Ireland and the world."

"Would I shed a tear? No. Would I loose (sic) a night's sleep? No, would I really worry about what anyone else thought? No."

n CHARGED: Ruth Patterson

n SUPPORT: A poster in support of Ruth Patterson seen at a march on the Woodvale Road on Saturday to protest at the Twelfth Orange Order parade being banned from marching past Ardoyne shops on Crumlin Road PICTURE: Justin Kernoghan