Baby unhurt in Belfast petrol-bombing

Catholic youths were today accused of petrol-bombing Protestant homes in north Belfast

Catholic youths were today accused of petrol-bombing Protestant homes in north Belfast. An 18-day-old baby was in one of the houses at the time.

Two houses in Twaddell Avenue suffered scorch damage in attacks late last night.

A PSNI spokeswoman said there were no reports of any injuries, and there were no arrests.

It was the latest incident in ongoing inter-factional violence on the flashpoint "peaceline" in the north of the city.

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The father of the newborn baby said his son would have been burned to death if a petrol bomb had smashed through the window rather than exploding beside it.

The man, who did not wish to be identified, said he was sitting in the living room of the house with the 18-day-old infant when a petrol bomb struck just outside.

"I just saw a flash beside the window and looked up and heard the bang and saw the flames. I just grabbed the child and ran up the stairs and rang the police," he said. "If the petrol bomb had come through the window he would have been burned to death."

He said there had been a similar attack three weeks ago while his girlfriend was still pregnant and a stone had been thrown at the house next door on Sunday night.

Democratic Unionist Party Assembly member Nelson McCausland said a large number of youths from the neighbouring Ardoyne area had launched the sectarian attacks in Twaddell Avenue.

The MLA said it was clear that the attack had been well-planned as young people on bicycles had scouted the area before the crowd appeared.

"This is just the latest in a long series of attacks on these homes, attacks which have emanated from Ardoyne, and which have taken place over many years," he added. "I had hoped such sectarian attacks were a thing of the past but the events of the past few weeks show that this is not the case."