Paint attacks 'more sinister than ethnic cleansing'

A vicious campaign of paint and petrol bomb attacks on Catholics living in an under-siege village in Northern Ireland is worse than ethnic cleansing, a top police officer claimed today.

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton confirmed that helicopter surveillance was being used in a bid to identify the thugs preying on their neighbours in Ahoghill, Co Antrim.

A couple whose home was splattered with paint in the latest round of attacks have vowed to quit the area to escape their tormentors.

A Catholic church and school were also vandalised in the intensifying offensive which has horrified clergymen and public representatives.

Mr Leighton accepted the attacks were partially fuelled by sectarianism but stressed that disputes among neighbours was also to blame.

He said: "This is much more sinister than ethnic cleansing, this is real hatred between communities in Northern Ireland."

Catholics living in Ahoghill, which is near the strongly-Protestant town of Ballymena where sectarian tensions have risen, were supplied with fire blankets and smoke alarms last week amid fears of fresh attacks.

With police making the move based on intelligence, security patrols have also been increased in an attempt to thwart the loyalists.

But on Monday night milk bottles filled with white paint were hurled at Patrick and Pat McGaughey's home, smashing windows and showering the property with glass and paint.

Paint was also thrown at St Mary's Church and St Joseph's Primary School in Ahoghill. Police believe the same thugs carried out all the attacks.

Mr Leighton, who was in the village to reassure residents that police were doing everything possible to end the violence, insisted: "We don't believe these attacks are being carried out by an organisation.

"There's no doubt that there's an element of sectarianism, but also an element of people just not getting on with each other."

With increased patrols on the village streets, the police chief believed the paint bombers may have been deflected towards targets on its outskirts.

He added: "I have met with CID, intelligence officers, uniformed and community officers to discuss what we can do overtly and covertly.

"We have been discussing the resources brought to bear so far and whether I have made full use of our air support unit.

"But I don't accept we have not done enough."