A masked and armed member of the republican dissident group Oglaigh na h-Eireann at a show of strength in the County Derry village of Park. Picture by Press Eye

On Friday night three uniformed and masked men appeared on the edge of the village at least one of them carrying a firearm.

They posed for photographs before firing three shots into the air.

The dissident group then made a short statement in which they warned people they described as ‘drug dealers’ to come forward to the group in the next two weeks.

A masked and armed member of the republican dissident group Oglaigh na h-Eireann at a show of strength in the County Derry village of Park. Picture by Press Eye

In a chilling message they stated ‘after that kneecappings are not an option it is death.’

The three men then disappeared back into nearby trees.

Óglaigh na h-Eireann has claimed responsibility for a series of attacks in recent years in the North West area.

They also were responsible for a bomb outside Derry’s Strand Road PSNI station in August 2010.