many lived in protestant or catholic enclaves which put them within easy reach of local paramilitary or community groups. the years 1972–73 saw paramilitary threats from loyalist and republican sources. of the 288 incidents of intimidation reported, all but twelve were from protestants who had been threatened from within their own community. sometimes this was to gain information or to persuade soldiers to join (or remain within) loyalist organisations. the intimidation included: threatening letters and phone calls, abduction, shots fired from passing cars and off-duty soldiers being assaulted.