Victims’ campaigner Ann Travers wants non-politicians involved in proposed Stormont online abuse forum

Mrs Long expressed the need this week for a gathering of politicians and party activists who have suffered threats and abuse on the internet.

But Ms Travers said any such symposium should also hear from other citizens in the public domain who have also endured abusive messages and tweets including death threats.

She said: “It isn’t only politicians who face a torrent of abuse. Other public figures who raise their heads above the parapet to advocate for innocent victims on social media have to deal with daily abuse.

“I must make clear that as somebody who lost my sister to IRA terrorism and nearly my parents, I find all terrorism abhorrent and support all victims’ right to truth, justice and acknowledgement.”

Ms Travers said that she has been told “to die, called a ‘celebrity victim’, vile, hateful and once threatened with these words, ‘don’t worry her days are numbered’.”

She continued: “I’ve also witnessed other IRA victims such as Stephen Gault (the Enniskillen atrocity), Sammy Heenan (whose father was murdered when he was 12 leaving him an orphan) and Austin Stack (whose father was a prison officer at Portlaoise Prison and was shot by the IRA leaving a boxing match in 1983 and who passed away in 1984 from his injuries) all abused in the most horrific way.

“Few victims of republican terrorism speak out as the co-ordinated and sustained attacks are brutal. They have caused me stress, nightmares, anxiety and panic attacks.”

She added: “I understand why few victims raise their heads.

“I would ask Naomi Long to broaden her forum and please protect all of us.”

Justice Minister Long’s proposed forum will only be exclusively for politicians and party activists who have sustained online abuse, it was confirmed last night.

An Alliance Party spokesperson said: “The focus of the meeting is the experiences of candidates and activists in the recent Assembly election, to capture information on the particular challenges they faced both in terms of on and off-line harassment, abuse and violence during the campaign.

“Clearly, any issues raised or actions proposed would have wider applicability and benefit other victims of similar abuse, whether public or private figures.”

The Alliance spokesperson continued: “Naomi is also aware of the vile abuse directed at Ann Travers and has condemned the bullying, intimidation and smears targeted at a woman who is in the public eye, not through choice but as a result of the horrific murder of her sister.

“The minister would encourage any victim to report such behaviour to the PSNI, as those on the internet are not beyond the reach of the law.”

The spokesperson stressed that while Mrs Long is always open to meeting victims to discuss their experiences, in the case of online abuse “this would be via Home Office ministers and the Westminster Online Harms Bill, as telecommunications is a reserved matter”.