Alliance condemns East Belfast shooting

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 19th Jul 2005

East Belfast Alliance MLA, Naomi Long, has expressed her alarm at an incident in which shots were fired at a house at Victoria Road in the

Sydenham area on Monday evening. There was no-one in the house at the time.

Cllr. Long has called on all politicians to condemn such attacks. As speculation grows that the attack is linked to the on-going loyalist feud, she has also called for a review of the ceasefires of all groups involved.

Cllr. Long, former Chair of the East Belfast Sub-Group of the District Policing Partnership said:

"I utterly condemn this shooting, and all such activity, and I am thankful that on this occasion no-one was hurt. I would appeal to anyone with information to contact the Police.

"It is time that all violence was ended from whatever source. If this incident is linked to the loyalist feud, as people are speculating, then I would appeal for it to end before any more lives are lost. I think it is also encumbent on those elected representatives who have links with loyalist paramilitaries to end their silence and make it clear that such violence is unacceptable and wrong.

"If a link is proven, then surely it is time that the ceasefires of those paramilitary groups involved were reviewed. We cannot tolerate a situation where the Government effectively ignores a killing spree, provided it is internal to loyalism."

ENDS