Daylight assault by loyalists

Three Catholic men escaped serious injury this week after their
car was attacked by up to a dozen loyalists wielding baseball
bats and iron bars.

The attack took place in south Belfast at around 1pm on Thursday
when up to a dozen loyalists attacked a car as it was stopped at
traffic lights.

The gang shouted sectarian slogans at the driver before smashing
the car windows with baseball bats and iron bars.

Two teenagers in the car, aged 17 and 19, were hit around the
shoulders with iron bars.

The gang attempted to drag the teenagers out of the car but the
driver managed to make an escape onto the Donegall Road.

However the gang later caught up with the car again and attacked
it. The teenagers received minor injuries but were left shocked.

A mother of the driver, who was too afraid to be named, said her
sons had been traumatised by the attack.

"My son came into the house dripping in blood,'' she said.

"We did not know what had happened.

"They were lucky that the car had central locking because that
stopped them being dragged out of the car.

"God knows what would have happened if they had got them boys
out of the car."

"The boys are still in shock but we are just thankful that they
are still alive.

"It is unbelievable that this kind of thing could happen in
broad daylight on a busy main road."

In the early hours of yesterday morning, a Catholic woman in
Ardoyne had her home attacked in Kerrera in an apparent attempt
to heighten tensions ahead of the 'Tour of the North' parade.

Loyalist slogans were shouted and the windows on the front of
the house were smashed. The woman has since been taken to
hospital suffering from heart problems.

"Last nights attack on the home of this vulnerable woman has
obviously caused anger within the local community," said local
SF representative Kathy Stanton.

"I would appeal to local people to remain calm in the face of
this provocation from unionist paramilitaries."