Police chief faces questions over clashes

Northern Ireland’s most senior police officer was today set to be quizzed about paramilitary involvement in the sectarian violence engulfing parts of Belfast.

The rioting and gunfire in the east of the city was expected to top the agenda when Acting Chief Constable Colin Cramphorn is questioned by Policing Board members.

Police reported a number of incidents of disorder in east Belfast last night. There were unconfirmed reports of gunfire in the Newtownards area and rival gangs pelted each other with stones in Ormeau.

A source on the 19-member body, which will quiz Mr Cramphorn at its Belfast headquarters, predicted: ‘‘A lot of questions will be put to him about the involvement of paramilitary organisations in the trouble in Belfast.’’

Senior police officers have already indicated top loyalist and republican paramilitaries have been orchestrating the trouble.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble yesterday urged British Prime Minister Tony Blair to take action to end the crisis.

A clearly incensed Mr Trimble noted that a British government spokesman had claimed the ceasefires were intact.

‘‘But to use that language means you are adopting the republicans’ own definition of a ceasefire - namely that provided they are not shooting soldiers and policemen they are on a ceasefire and they can kill as many Catholics as they like, they can throw as many petrol bombs at their Protestant neighbours as they like and still have it regarded as a ceasefire.

‘‘We have said it very clearly to Downing Street that they must not adopt that definition of a ceasefire.

‘‘They have got to make it absolutely clear in word and in deed that the present situation is not acceptable and that there has to be not just an absence of violence but clear movement towards the completion of disbandment and disarmament.

‘‘Those are the things that have to move and move rapidly now and government has to in the short term take action to restore confidence and restore respect for the law on the streets of Belfast.’’

Rival gangs clashed last night around the Ormeau Bridge and pelted each other with stones. There were reports of several cars being damaged.

The Ormeau area has in recent years been the focus of a bitter dispute between nationalists living in the lower end of the road and Protestant Orangemen over attempts to parade through the Catholic end of the area.

Loyalists also took to the streets in the Newtownards Road where there have been bitter street clashes since Friday. But police said the protest was peaceful.

Police said a number of sporadic incidents of civic disorder were reported in east Belfast.

Gunfire was reported in the area of Bryson Street where earlier yesterday it was alleged by loyalists that a republican mob attacked a teenage girl.