Petrol bombs thrown at church
Petrol bombs were thrown at a Catholic Church today – just days after the parish priest called for the release of the Shankill bomber Sean Kelly.
Three home-made devices were launched at Holy Cross in Ardoyne, north Belfast, in what police said was a sectarian attack.
Stones were also thrown at emergency services who attended the incident.
Father Aidan Troy declined to speculate on whether the attack was linked to his calls for Kelly to be released from Magahaberry Prison.
He said: “It is impossible to get inside the mind of the people who do these things.
“We are working closely with the police and I would not begin to speculate on who might be responsible.”
Police said the church, on the Crumlin Road, was targeted shortly after 2am when two petrol bombs were thrown from the Woodvale Road area.
About half an hour later, while emergency services were at the scene, a third bomb was thrown but no further damage was caused to the church.
Police then came under attack by stones thrown from the Twadell area.
No one was injured but officers are maintaining a presence in the area today.
Fr Troy said the rear roof of the church was damaged by one of the bombs.
The priest said: “It is one of those things that is very regrettable.
“The main thing is that nobody was hurt or worse.
“It is a worrying development when a place of worship and a monastery is targeted.
“But I hope that nobody thinks this should be cause for retaliation.
“This should be a time for reflection and to call a halt to any form of targeting people. There is no future in that.”
Father Troy said the weekend services, which include a wedding today, will not be disrupted by the attacks.
Earlier this week the priest hit the headlines with his call, which was echoed by Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams, for Sean Kelly to be released from prison as the reason for his detention was shrouded in mystery.
Nine civilians and Kelly’s IRA accomplice, Thomas Begley, were killed in a blast at Frizzell’s fish and chip shop on the loyalist Shankill Road in October 1993, one of the most notorious atrocities of the Troubles.
Kelly was given nine life sentences but was released under the Good Friday Agreement.
He was re-arrested last month for involvement in terrorist activity but Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has not spelt out exactly what that was.
Fr Troy met Kelly in Maghaberry on July 6 and said he was convinced he was not involved in any criminal activity.
He said he had witnessed the prisoner try to act as a moderating influence during riots in the Ardoyne this summer.
During the meeting, Kelly told the priest he was baffled as to why his early release licence had been revoked.
Fr Troy was strongly criticised by the DUP but vowed he would publicly apologise for his comments if it could be proved that Kelly had done something wrong.
