Mirror
Baggott's hope for future
PSNI chief Matt Baggott revealed yesterday that he prays for dissident republicans. Terror groups opposed to the peace process have stepped up their violent campaign that has seen police officers and soldiers murdered. But Chief Constable Baggott, who has been open about the importance of his Christian beliefs, said he prayed for those responsible.
He added: "I do pray for the dissidents. I ask God to take the scales off their eyes so they actually become people and their families have a future that is about anything other than violence, rage, bitterness and anger. "So they free themselves up to play their part in the right way in the future. "I think that's a prayer I share with many other people North and South and many, many churches here. "We should be praying for people who are trapped in the cycle of violence and anger."
In March last year, the Real IRA shot dead soldiers Mark Quinsey, 23, and 21-year-old Patrick Azimkar at Massereene barracks in Co Antrim. Within 48 hours, the Continuity IRA murdered PSNI constable Stephen Carroll in Craigavon, Co Armagh. In January, PSNI officer Peadar Heffron was seriously injured in an under-car bomb attack in Co Antrim.
Mr Baggott, a 51-year-old father of three, is a born-again Christian and president of the Christian Police Association. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show, the officer also fielded a call from a dissident supporter. He told him: "You are obviously a very angry man. I'm sure there are things that have happened in the past that have made you angry and I respect that.
"But when I go to the graduation of new recruits, many of whom are Catholic young people doing a fantastic job, they are not joining the PSNI to be part of a British war machine. They are joining to be the impartial guardians of your family.
"The PSNI does not swear allegiance to the Queen, it swears allegiance to the people of Northern Ireland or the North of Ireland, however you want to call it. I have absolutely no political bias."
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