Police are treating as malicious a fire which destroyed three Republic-registered minibuses and a car outside the Linen Hall backpackers' hostel in Belfast. Some 150 guests were evacuated from the hostel off Royal Avenue early yesterday as police checked vehicles in the area for suspicious devices.
The minibuses, which belonged to Dublin tour organisers Tir na Nog and Paddywagons, had brought 39 tourists from Australia, New Zealand and America. They had to stay in St Kevin's church hall following the Kent Street blaze.
The new Lord Mayor of Belfast, Mr Sammy Wilson of the DUP, offered to meet the tourists and apologise at City Hall today. "It's reprehensible. This really is something I feel has got to be fully condemned. The people responsible should be caught and punished. This destroys the potential for tourism and jobs created by tourism," he said.
The RUC has yet to establish a motive for the attack and has not ruled out the involvement of loyalist paramilitaries.
The buses were parked on Kent Street at about 6 p.m. on Monday. One of the drivers, Mr Joe Farrell, was woken at 1.30 a.m. to find the vehicles on fire. "The buses were in flames and were burnt out, totally destroyed," he said.
Mr Phil Ryan from Tir na Nog said the tourists had been shocked by the attack. "I think this is a sad day for tourism in Belfast," he said.
Mr Farrell said he would try to find alternative parking for the buses. He said the attack seemed to have been deliberate as petrol had been poured on four vehicles.
Ms Mo Durkan, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's public relations manager, offered complimentary accommodation at Bush House near the North Antrim coast on BBC Radio Ulster.
In a statement, the NITB said it "utterly condemns this act of vandalism which is totally at variance with the welcome afforded to all our visitors".
It said the tourists had decided to continue their itinerary.