Loyalist terror group claims community centre shooting

In a telephoned statement to a Belfast newsroom, accompanied by a recognised codeword, it claimed the target of today’s shooting at the Ashton Centre, was a former republican prisoner who worked there.

Children and staff narrowly escaped injury when the attack was mounted on the premises in Churchill Avenue, in the Catholic New Lodge district.

Tonight’s statement was certain to further escalate tensions, already heightened by violent clashes at sectarian flashpoints in north Belfast over the past week.

Today’s shooting prompted demands for the UDA and its sub-organisation the Ulster Freedom Fighters to confirm their ceasefire was over.

Two men on a cigarette break were singled out by hooded gunmen who then fired indiscriminately into the complex where a children’s summer scheme was being held.

Nationalist politicians immediately blamed the UDA and said the gunmen had fled in the direction of the lower Shankill area, a stronghold of the jailed commander Johnny Adair.

SDLP councillor Martin Morgan said the attack was part of a UDA campaign to stoke up sectarian tensions in the area.

He said: ‘‘In the face of these attacks, the Ulster Democratic Party and the UDA need to be upfront and declare their hand about the ceasefire.

‘‘The Catholic community see the UDP and UDA speaking with forked tongues about the ceasefire while the UDA/UFF carry out nightly sectarian attacks on Catholics in north Belfast.’’

But UDP chairman John White, whose party is linked to the group, insisted it was wrong to blame them.

He said: ‘‘The UDA made a statement last week saying its ceasefire was intact and I don’t see any reason why that wouldn’t still be the case.

‘‘It would be silly of them to be involved and a complete contradiction.’’

Several people, including children, were treated in hospital for shock after the attack in an area which had seen rival loyalist and nationalist gangs clash viciously on Monday night.

One of two men targeted in today’s attack told PA News the gunmen were in their late teens.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said: ‘‘They had been looking around the units at the back when they saw us and then they just opened fire.

‘‘I reckon there must have been eight, nine, 10 shots at us and more shooting. It was indiscriminate. We immediately raced out of there. We’re very lucky to be alive.’’

The Ashton Community Trust, which runs the centre, claimed the shooting was an attempt to fuel sectarian tension in the area and it called on political and community leaders to take immediate action to prevent further attacks.

Sinn Fein Assembly member Gerry Kelly also blamed the UDA and claimed it was a miracle no one was killed.

He said: ‘‘The lower Shankill UDA have been involved in a number of attacks and it is plain to see their ceasefire has long since gone.’’

Democratic Unionist MP for North Belfast Nigel Dodds said: ‘‘Violence from whatever quarter is wrong and should play no part in our society. No doubt the effect on children caught up in this incident has been very traumatic.’’

The shooting was also condemned by Stormont ministers Seamus Mallon and Sir Reg Empey, the public service union Unison, the Workers Party, Ulster Unionists and loyalist Progressive Unionists.

Meanwhile, a blast bomb attack on a RUC station in Castlewellan, Co Down was today being blamed on dissident republicans.

No one was injured and minor damage was caused to the base. Meanwhile a third coffee jar bomb was defused at the scene of sectarian clashes earlier this week.

The device was found on waste ground between Serpentine Gardens and Gunnell Hill in Belfast an interface three miles north of today’s shooting.

A similar bomb exploded and another was made safe in the same area yesterday after crowd trouble the night before.