Ulster Unionist Leader, Mike Nesbitt MLA, has spoken of his admiration for the bravery of Mairia Cahill, in voluntarily waving her right to anonymity to further expose the true, brutal nature of Sinn Féin / IRA's hold on nationalist communities.
Mr Nesbitt said:
“No one should underestimate the courage it took for Mairia to engage with the BBC for tonight’s Spotlight programme.
“I have known Mairia for some years now and recognise her as an individual totally committed to doing the right thing, whatever the difficulties. She demonstrates an unfailing determination to put the interests of the abused ahead of her own personal safety.
“Mairia’s story is quite simply horrific and once again exposes the true nature of the Provisional IRA, an organisation that claimed to protect the community, while subjecting citizens to all manner of human rights abuses, from tarring and feathering, through kneecapping and sexual abuse to abduction, torture and murder.
“I have been in contact with the Chief Constable of the PSNI, asking for his assurance that the police will investigate fully and appropriately the extremely serious allegations in tonight's programme.
"I recognise Mairia comes from a family at the heart of Irish Republicanism, but this transcends political allegiances and strikes at the heart of what sort of society we want to build.
"Given Mairia's courage in waiving her anonymity, the least we can do to support her is to watch and reflect when Spotlight is broadcast tonight at 10.35 on BBC 1 Northern Ireland."