The IRA is believed to have been responsible for a "punishment" shooting in Belfast city centre at the weekend. No organisation has admitted responsibility for the attack but republican sources believe that the IRA was involved.
The 18-year-old victim is recovering in hospital after being shot in the legs early yesterday. He was in the Penny Farthing public house in Donegall Street when two masked men carrying hurling sticks entered the bar and attacked him.
He managed to run out of the pub but was confronted on the street by a third man armed with a handgun who shot him in the legs. The RUC has appealed for witnesses to come forward.
There had already been speculation that the IRA had resumed "punishment" shootings, following an incident in west Belfast a fortnight ago.
That victim was abducted by four hooded men, driven to a remote location, and then shot in the legs. Republican sources said it was impossible to believe that both attacks had been carried out by any organisation other than the IRA.
If the Provisionals were responsible, the attacks would be a clear breach of the Mitchell principles of democracy and non-violence, which Sinn Fein has accepted in order to enter the Stormont talks.
IRA "'punishment" squads had been banned from carrying out shootings since the July ceasefire. However, republican sources said that the leadership had been forced to reverse its instructions in order to contain growing opposition to the ceasefire among grassroots and to prevent any further defections.