Three men arrested over 2002 Belfast riots

Three men have been arrested in the nationalist Short Strand area of east Belfast today for questioning about attempted murders…

Three men have been arrested in the nationalist Short Strand area of east Belfast today for questioning about attempted murders nearly three years ago.

They were detained in connection with an investigation into days of street violence on a sectarian interface in June 2002.

Shots were fired during violence in the loyalist Cluan Place when rival gangs clashed. Vehicles were hijacked, houses set on fire, pipe bombs thrown and attacks regularly mounted on police in trouble that simmered throughout the summer.

A PSNI spokeswoman said the men were being questioned about five counts of alleged attempted murder.