A FORMER soldier turned dissident republican, will have to serve the remainder of his jail term in isolation after being removed from the separated landing in Maghaberry Prison following threats from 'new IRA' prisoners.
Gabriel Mackle (44), from Tandragee, Co Armagh, was jailed for eight years after pleading guilty in April 2014 to two charges of possessing explosive substances and possession of ammunition with intent.
The charges related to dissident activity linked to the Continuity IRA.
Mackle, a former RIR soldier, was stopped by the PSNI riding a motorbike in Lurgan the previous August and the materials, which included a quantity of mercury, were recovered from a rucksack.
With time spent on remand and remission, Mackle is due for release from prison early this summer and has been previously granted periods of compassionate parole.
He had been serving his sentence on the wing known as Row 4, which is mainly occupied by prisoners linked to the 'new IRA' who are represented by the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association (IRPWA).
Republican Sinn Féin (RSF), which has links to CIRA, released a statement this week claiming Mackle had been removed from the republican wing after threats from IRPWA represented prisoners.
Mackle refused to leave but was later forcibly removed from the wing by prison staff over fears for his safety and placed in the isolation unit of the top security jail.
An RSF spokesperson said: "These threats are coming from the very same group that purport to promote unity, they are showing the Republican people their version of unity but it has to be on their terms."
