Operation Demetrius internment: 342 Catholics arrested, ‘Protestants zero’, hosts say

What was said

"They arrested in total 342 people and took them to internment camps. Now given what Heath had said to him about make sure you have a good balance. So what is the balance Dominic? >> So the balance is as follows. Out of 342 the balance is Catholics 342 Protestants zero."

Discussing the start of internment without trial in August 1971, the hosts say the security operation detained 342 people, all of them Catholic, despite Heath’s instruction that a “certain number of Protestants” should be included. They present the imbalance as a central reason the policy backfired and boosted Provisional IRA recruitment.