NI Politicians question shooting of man

Nationalist politicians in Belfast are asking if the shooting of a man in the city centre last night by police was justified.

The man is critically ill in hospital with bullet wounds in the chest and legs.

It is believed that the police officers were involved in an undercover surveillance operation when they opened fire on the man.

A car was found a 200 yards away and police say it contained an incendiary bomb.

The Police ombudsman has begun an inquiry but already SDLP spokesman, Alex Attwood, said that citizens of Belfast must be reassured.

Mitchell McLoughlin, the Sinn Fein chairman, says the man was unarmed and it must be asked if the potentially lethal forced used was justified.