Republican Sinn Fein is calling on Sinn Fein to condemn an assault on one of its members in Derry. Four armed and masked men, claiming to be from the Provisional IRA, burst into the home of Mr Michael Donnelly, the chairman of Republican Sinn Fein's Ulster executive, on Sunday night.
Details have emerged of another attack in west Belfast on a leading member of the Irish Republican Socialist Party, the INLA's political wing. Mr Kevin McQuillan suffered fractures of the skull and has been left blind in one eye and partially deaf following the assault last month. The incident occurred in the grounds of Gort na Mona Gaelic Athletics Club in Turf Lodge. Mr McQuillan claimed the attack was motivated by his criticism of Sinn Fein. The RUC is investigating both assaults.
Mr Donnelly (49) was beaten with iron bars, a blank shot was fired from a handgun, and gas sprayed at his family. He suffered a broken leg and severe bruising to his upper body. His daughter Niamh (10) sustained minor injuries.
Mr Donnelly, a former internee, was one of the "hooded men" on whom the British army carried out sensory deprivation experiments in 1971. He campaigned for a No vote during the referendum. Speaking from hospital yesterday, he claimed the assault was aimed at intimidating him and other party members, but said it would not succeed. The Republican Sinn Fein vice-president, Mr Des Long, said: "Those responsible are doing Britain's dirty work. I am challenging Martin McGuinness and Mitchel McLaughlin, as the senior Provisional Sinn Fein figures in the area, to condemn this attack."
In a statement, the 32 County Sovereignty Committee described the assault as "very sinister" and said it was "a dire warning to all who dissent". It was "very worrying" that Sinn Fein leaders had not condemned the attack.
A Sinn Fein spokesman said his party was not responsible. Asked if the IRA was involved, he said he had no knowledge of IRA actions. He refused to condemn the assault, but said such incidents should not happen.