`Punishment' attacks denied

The IRA has denied it is behind recent suspected republican "punishment" shootings and beatings

The IRA has denied it is behind recent suspected republican "punishment" shootings and beatings. The current edition of the republican weekly An Phoblacht carries a comment from an "IRA spokesperson" denying it is orchestrating such attacks.

The IRA spokesperson said the claims by Families Against Intimidation and Terror (FAIT) of "IRA involvement in a series of so-called punishment attacks is completely bogus". The report was also critical of FAIT'S chief spokesman, Mr Vincent McKenna.

It accused "British Tories as well as pro-unionist Labour politicians" of having "embarked on a serious campaign to undermine the peace process where they have raised the question of so-called punishment attacks".

Mr McKenna, responding to the report, said "everybody knows" that the IRA was responsible for republican "punishment" attacks.