THE feud between INLA factions appears to be escalating after yesterday's drive by shooting in west Belfast in which a former prisoner was injured. The 40 year old man, from Ballymurphy, 15 recovering in hospital following the attack.
He was standing with three other men on the Whiterock Road around 1 p.m. when a car pulled up. A gunman fired 10 shots from a pistol, hitting him in the leg. He managed to run off and made his way to hospital, where his condition was described as stable. It is the fourth incident in a feud which has left two men and a nine year old girl, Barbara McElorum, dead.
It is believed yesterday's shooting was in retaliation for killing of the child, who was buried on Monday, and of John Fennell who was beaten to death with concrete block in Bundoran Co Donegal, two weeks ago. Those killings were carried out by associates of the INLA figure, Gino Gallagher, who was shot dead the Falls Road in January.
Barbara McElorum's father blamed Gallagher's associates. After the child's death, a faction calling itself "INLA GHQ staff" ordered Gallagher's associates to disband or "face direct action". This group has admitted responsibility for yesterday's shooting. Gallagher's associates have also issued death threats to their opponents.
Both sides claim to be the true Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) and each describes its opponents as criminals and drug dealers. The group associated with Gino Gallagher condemned yesterday's attack, which it blamed on "mavericks and associates of drug pushers".
A spokesman for the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) said. "We wish to state clearly that, far from intimidating its membership, such incidents only stiffen our resolve to ensure our re-emergence as the revolutionary socialist party of the Irish working class."
The two sides appeared to be preparing for further attacks. There were reports from west Belfast of groups gathering around pubs and houses associated with the factions. The SDLP MP for west Belfast, Dr Joe Hendron, described the feud as "downright barbarism" and appealed to both sides to stop. He offered to act as an intermediary.
The Workers' Party Belfast chairman, Mr John Lowry, condemned the "depraved gunmen who seem interested only in venting their own obscene bloodlust in Chicago style shootings".