An Ulster victims campaigner labeled a Co. Tyrone school as an IRA training ground, after he mistook an Italian flag flying outside the school for an Irish tricolor.

Willie Frazer, who is the founder of Families Acting for Innocent Relatives (FAIR), criticized St Patrick's elementary schoolin Donaghmore on Facebook for flying the flags of Poland, Turkey, and Italy outside the school. Frazer’s father, Bertie, who was a member of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR), was shot dead by the IRA on 30 August 1975.

After seeing what he belived was a tricolor flag, the 51-year-old posted a picture on the social networking site commenting:

"This is a school in Tyrone flying the Irish flag on the school grounds why.”

“I wonder do they also train the children in how to use weapons, for it seems they can do what they wont. [sic]”

It later emerged the elementary school was flying three flags as part of their involvement with a European project.

Speaking to UTV News, St Patrick's principal, Dera Calahane expressed shock at "how vindictive and inciteful the comments were".

She said: "The comments made are inaccurate. The three flags on display were the Italian, Polish and Turkish national flags.

"These were flying as part of the welcome to our Comenius Partner Schools who were visiting at the time.

"It appears some individual has mistaken the Italian flag for the Irish flag. The school is currently taking legal advice and is bringing the matter to the PSNI," she added.

The flags have since been taken down by the school and the pictures have been removed from Facebook.

Later Frazer corrected his original statement when he posted on Facebook: "The flag seen flying at this school is not the irish tricolour, and it may look very like it but i can asure people it is not. [sic]".