RCMP investigate phone threats against 2 sealers
Last Updated: Monday, May 12, 2008 | 6:54 AM NT
CBC News
The RCMP are investigating harassing phone calls placed this spring to the homes of two sealers living in northeastern Newfoundland.
Jack Troake, a Twillingate resident, has been outspoken in support of the controversial hunt for decades, and suspects that an unknown caller got his name from media coverage.
"He started to say, 'Look, we know who you are, we know where you live, we know what you look like, and we're coming to get you,'" said Troake, describing the first call, which he received nearly two weeks ago.
Troake said the caller then erupted into foul language, and yelled at him about the seal hunt.
Since then, he said, he and another seal hunter have received several other calls, usually in the middle of the night.
RCMP Cpl. Ray Jullien said harassing phone calls are a serious matter.
"I'm not in their shoes, but I mean, if I had the call coming in at two o'clock in the morning, yeah, I would be concerned about it," he told CBC News.
"Anyone receiving calls like that, I would be concerned."
The calls have been traced to a location in Quebec. Jullien said the RCMP hopes to have more information soon.
In the meantime, Troake said he is not worried about the threats turning into physical violence.
"This particular creature has got no intention of coming here in Newfoundland," he said.
"If he did, he would have done it right after the first time. He wouldn't keep on harassing us like this. He hasn't got the guts to come here."
Meanwhile, Troake said, he now turns off the ringer on his phone each night.
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