IRA blamed for beating student

The father of a 20-year-old student who was badly beaten near Forkhill in Co Armagh last month has blamed the IRA for the attack.

Raymond Kelly suffered back, head and arm injuries after he was ambushed by a gang, abducted and beaten with hammers, metal bars and nail-studded bats.

He was so badly beaten that the ambulance taking him to hospital had to stop en route to give him blood.

Mr Kelly’s father, Peter, said he believes the IRA was responsible for the attack, but doesn’t know why his son was targeted.

Speaking at the Labour Party conference in Britain today, Northern Secretary John Reid reiterated earlier statements that there is no acceptable level of violence in the North.