Loyalists fire 20 shots in Belfast riots

Loyalist gunmen fired an estimated 20 gunshots at republican houses during further riots in the Short Strand area of east Belfast last night.

The trouble marked the fifth night of violence in the area in the last six days.

First Minister David Trimble has blamed the IRA for the riots, but republicans have vehemently denied his accusations.

Local Sinn Fein councillor Joe O’Donnell said: "I doubt if there’s even a willingness to solve this problem because, quite simply, loyalist paramilitaries are not going to stop when we have statements from the likes of David Trimble trying to implicate republicans as they aggressors in this situation when quite clearly it’s the opposite.

"He should hang his head in shame. What he wants to do, if he wants to put an end to this, is to speak to the people responsible."