Most people were afraid to vote for Sinn Fein not because of their association with the IRA but because the fact of the matter was if you did vote or openly support Sinn Fein you were seen as a radical or Republican sympathizer and your name would be placed on a list which eventually would end up in the hands of British agents to supply to loyalist death squads. Brian Nelson was instrumental in signing death warrents for a lot of people on flimsy or fabricated information.