A senior Protestant paramilitary source on Monday blamed hardline Protestants for nailing a Catholic youth to a fence post in Belfast over the weekend amid rising sectarian street violence.
”The attack was definitely carried out by loyalists,” said the source who belongs to the Ulster Defence Association. He stressed that the attack was ”not orchestrated” by his organisation. He said the attack on Harry McCartan (23) overnight on Friday, was retaliation for a number of car thefts.
McCartan remained in a serious but stable condition in hospital on Monday after suffering severe injuries to his hands and legs when struck repeatedly with a baseball bat spiked with nails, before being nailed to a fence by his hands.
”Harry is still very drowsy and he can’t remember anything. He is still in a very bad way and it looks like it will be like that for some time,” said his brother Neil.
”He has very extensive surgery to his hands and legs but we still don’t know if he will have the use of his hands again.” David Ervine, leader of the Progressive Unionist Party, called the attack ”awful, quite incredible”.
”The symbolism that they used will come back to haunt them,” added Ervine, who has called for an end to all violence in the province.
Northern Ireland has seen growing levels of sectarian street violence over the past 18 months, widely attributed to dissident paramilitary groups.
Police warn they are dangerously overstretched by the growing unrest, which had been putting increasing strain on the province’s fragile peace process up until London last month suspended the power-sharing executive.
The mainly Protestant loyalists want Northern Ireland to remain part of Britain, while the mainly Catholic republicans want the province to be united with the Republic of Ireland. – Sapa-AFP