11.5.04
Irelandclick.com
MAN SEVERELY HURT IN MACHETE ATTACK
Another young Catholic man has been seriously injured in a sectarian attack in North Belfast by loyalists.
The victim, who said that he wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, said that he was attacked with a machete in the head for no reason as he walked home, and that he lost so much blood in the vicious attack that doctors said he could have died.
The attack happened on the Cliftonville Road last Saturday [May 1] around 10.30pm. The victim had been at a party and was walking home when a car pulled up and the attack was carried out.
“I was walking home from my friend’s house when this happened. I wasn’t feeling well and thought I’d be better off at home so I left early.
“I saw this car pull up and saw three people in the car. They got out and shouted ‘Get the Fenian Bastard’ and slashed my head. I don’t remember much after that but my friend who came down from the party said that I was staggering. He had to hold me straight he said.
“I remember the ambulance being there and the cops. I remember one of the cops saying to me that if I didn’t go to hospital now I’d be dead in the morning. He said I’d lost so much blood I had to get it sorted.”
The victim’s ear at that stage was severed from the ear drum right through to several inches near the base of the skull. He was sent to the Mater Hospital on Saturday night, and then transferred to the City Hospital for an operation which was carried out two days later.
The machete attack on the 30-year-old has also left him homeless, as his flat is near to where the attack happened.
“I just can’t face going back there. All I can see is the Cliftonville Road from the window of my flat and I never want to have that view again.
“I can’t go out at the moment because of the wounds and the blood on the head. My nerves are shot, and I’m just praying that I’ll get it over soon.”
The PSNI at the time of the incident informed the victim they believed the incident was sectarian. Sinn Féin MLA Kathy Stanton said she was appalled by the attack and the ever-increasing attacks on Catholics.
“It is strange that there is no talk or report from the International Monitoring Commission [IMC] about these loyalist death squads running riot and attacking people.
“I would like to make people aware all over the city that there has been an escalation of attacks.
“They have been played down considerably and there is no coverage of the incidents by local Unionist representatives.
“It is worrying that the IMC hasn’t released a response, they are legitimising loyalist death squads going into nationalist areas and wreaking havoc.”
Journalist:: Staff Reporter
MAN SEVERELY HURT IN MACHETE ATTACK
Another young Catholic man has been seriously injured in a sectarian attack in North Belfast by loyalists.
The victim, who said that he wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, said that he was attacked with a machete in the head for no reason as he walked home, and that he lost so much blood in the vicious attack that doctors said he could have died.
The attack happened on the Cliftonville Road last Saturday [May 1] around 10.30pm. The victim had been at a party and was walking home when a car pulled up and the attack was carried out.
“I was walking home from my friend’s house when this happened. I wasn’t feeling well and thought I’d be better off at home so I left early.
“I saw this car pull up and saw three people in the car. They got out and shouted ‘Get the Fenian Bastard’ and slashed my head. I don’t remember much after that but my friend who came down from the party said that I was staggering. He had to hold me straight he said.
“I remember the ambulance being there and the cops. I remember one of the cops saying to me that if I didn’t go to hospital now I’d be dead in the morning. He said I’d lost so much blood I had to get it sorted.”
The victim’s ear at that stage was severed from the ear drum right through to several inches near the base of the skull. He was sent to the Mater Hospital on Saturday night, and then transferred to the City Hospital for an operation which was carried out two days later.
The machete attack on the 30-year-old has also left him homeless, as his flat is near to where the attack happened.
“I just can’t face going back there. All I can see is the Cliftonville Road from the window of my flat and I never want to have that view again.
“I can’t go out at the moment because of the wounds and the blood on the head. My nerves are shot, and I’m just praying that I’ll get it over soon.”
The PSNI at the time of the incident informed the victim they believed the incident was sectarian. Sinn Féin MLA Kathy Stanton said she was appalled by the attack and the ever-increasing attacks on Catholics.
“It is strange that there is no talk or report from the International Monitoring Commission [IMC] about these loyalist death squads running riot and attacking people.
“I would like to make people aware all over the city that there has been an escalation of attacks.
“They have been played down considerably and there is no coverage of the incidents by local Unionist representatives.
“It is worrying that the IMC hasn’t released a response, they are legitimising loyalist death squads going into nationalist areas and wreaking havoc.”
Journalist:: Staff Reporter
