http://www.newsletter.co.uk/fullnews.asp?DJID=5930

Terror groups involed in east Belfast rioting

THE IRA, UDA and UVF have all been involved in bombings, shootings and
orchestrating rioting in east Belfast over recent days, the police said
yesterday, Tuesday.
During four days and nights of violence, starting on Friday afternoon, eight
people were shot.
The mainstream paramilitaries orchestrated attacks on the opposing
communities, Belfast Assistant Chief Constable Alan McQuillan said.
But while his assessment could have a deadly significance for the peace
process, he refused to make a judgment on what this meant for the state of
the IRA and UVF ceasefires - noting that was a matter for the Secretary of
State.
As families moved from their homes, houses were boarded up and tension was
in the air around the Lower Newtownards Road, Short Strand and Albertbridge
Road areas, Mr McQuillan said: "On the loyalist side we see clear evidence
that the UDA and UVF have been involved in this."
He added: "Certainly, in terms of the street disorder on the republican
side, we have seen large numbers of members of the IRA, many of them from
outside the area. We believe that they are involved in organising the
violence."
However, PUP East Belfast MLA David Ervine, while not denying the UVF had
been on the streets, asked people to query why the violence was occurring
and who might have an agenda to start it.
He said: ''As long as there are attempts to attack the Protestant community,
loyalist paramilitaries are bound to defend people and I imagine it is the
same on the republican side.
"But why is anyone rioting? I believe there is a specific reason for this
happening and it's because there is a battle for the hearts and minds of
nationalism going on between Sinn Fein and the SDLP.
"And what we are seeing is republicans - who have opted out of supporting
police reforms - raising tensions so they can take control and say, 'we are
more relevant than the SDLP'.
"That's the agenda and that's where I feel the republicans' political
strategy is at."
But, whatever the spark, Mr McQuillan revealed it was not just republican
terrorists involved, after Monday night's violence saw five people shot and
19 officers injured.
Among them, two Protestants were wounded by a republican gunman and a police
officer sustained a gunshot wound to his lower leg during battles involving
up to 1,000 people - many coming in from other areas to fight.
A total of 13 shots were fired at security forces, who returned six rounds,
hitting a gunman who was dragged away.
He had still not been admitted to hospital yesterday.
Some 61 baton rounds were also discharged.
Mr McQuillan said every available officer had also been drafted in to help
quell the disorder but noted: ''The rest of my region will pay the price for
that in terms of reduced police service, but this has to be the priority to
deal with this violence."
The PSNI now has two water cannon at its disposal - brought in from Belgium
last weekend - to help fight disorder.
Meanwhile, DUP MLA Sammy Wilson agreed with Mr Ervine's assessment that
republicans have started trouble in east Belfast - attacking a Sinn Fein
comment that the party did not know who was to blame.
He said well-known republicans were intent on putting the Protestant
community under siege and raising tension, before taking a stand against a
number of local Orange parades this summer.
Sinn Fein's Lord Mayor of Belfast- elect, Alex Maskey, avoided the blame
game, however, and said a civic forum needed to be set-up to tackle
interface tensions in the city.
He said this would be a priority if he took charge in the chamber at City
Hall.