IRA punishment attacks: four held

Four men are being questioned by detectives investigating IRA punishment attacks in Belfast.

Police raided houses in the west of the city as part of an investigation into shootings and beatings carried out by the Provisionals, security sources revealed.

One said: “This is down to good intelligence on paramilitary assaults.”

It is understood homes in the staunchly republican Ballymurphy and New Barnsley districts were raided early today.

Even though the IRA has been on ceasefire since July 1997, the terrorist organisation has carried out dozens of back alley attacks.

The men held were being questioned about incidents going back months and possibly years, a source said.

“These are historic punishment assaults,” he added.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman confirmed the operation was connected to an inquiry into serious crime in the Belfast area.

He added: “The arrests follow searches of a number of addresses in west Belfast.”

Sinn Féin representatives in the area accused heavily armed police officers of harassing republicans.

West Belfast Assembly member Fra McCann also warned the party plans to contact the British government about the arrests.

He said: “These raids are part of a well-planned and deliberate campaign of harassment against republicans by the PSNI.

“We are told time and time again by the SDLP and others that we have achieved a new beginning to policing.

“I would challenge anyone to explain the differences between this morning’s operation and those carried out in this area by the RUC over many years.

“Sinn Féin will be raising these raids with the British government and I am demanding that the PSNI release the men they have arrested without delay.”