Three shot in paramilitary-style attack

Three men were today in hospital after being shot in the legs in apparent paramilitary style attacks in a republican area of north Belfast.

Sources in the Ardoyne area blamed members of the hard-line Irish National Liberation Army for the incident which resulted in three men in their early 20s receiving gunshot wounds.

The men were found in an entry between Northwick Drive and Eskdale Gardens at around 9pm last night.

They had each received a bullet wound below the right knee.

Police said the victims were dragged out of a house by masked and armed men in Northwick Drive.

The INLA was blamed by republicans and security sources earlier this week for a gun attack on Sunday night on a Protestant man in the Glenbryn area fired from across the peaceline.

The allegation was denied by INLA sources and by its political wing the Irish Republican Socialist Party.

The incident on Sunday night was followed by a spate of attempted gun attacks by loyalist paramilitaries, resulting in the killing of 19-year-old Gerard Lawlor by the Ulster Freedom Fighters in the Whitewell area of the city.