THE home of the Spirit of Drumcree leader, Mr Joel Patton and a Baptist church in Belfast were two of the targets of suspected sectarian arson attacks early yesterday.
Four of the incidents, including an attempted arson attack on the home of Mr Patton, occurred in east Tyrone. Mr Patton said the attacks, which occurred between 4 a.m. and 7.45 a.m., were coordinated and well-planned, and he believed republicans were responsible.
He said his Dungannon home was targeted because of his involvement in the Spirit of Drumcree group which opposes any consultation with residents' groups on controversial parades.
Mr Patton's wife, Laura, who is eight months' pregnant, first heard the disturbances in the early hours of the morning. "She found the whole experience quite traumatic," said Mr Patton.
Flammable liquid was poured through the letter box, but it failed to ignite. "The attack on my home and on other Protestant homes in the Dungannon-Coalisland area was obviously quite calculated and, planned, and is very sinister," said Mr Patton.
Flammable liquid was also poured through the front doors of two other Dungannon houses and set alight.
In Newmills, Co Tyrone, the windows of the post office were broken and gas cylinders thrown inside. A young man and a woman were seen acting suspiciously, and a car sped away shortly afterwards.
Mr Kenny Archer, who runs the post office, said his property had previously been targeted. He said he saw a man and woman involved in the attack. A war memorial nearby was also damaged.
Mr Archer was in no doubt that it was a sectarian incident as the man involved shouted "IRA" and called him an "Orange bastard".
In Coalisland, Co Tyrone, a car and a van were damaged by fire outside a house at Ballynakelly Road. The family, whose house was also targeted last July, were distressed by the attack, said ME Jim Canning, a local independent councillor.
He said the attacks in Dungannon, Newmills and Coalisland appeared to demonstrate an organised pattern of sectarian attacks against Protestants. He hoped local Catholics would rally round and ensure such attacks were stopped.
In east Belfast the Mountpottinger Baptist Tabernacle was badly damaged in a suspected arson attack. The roof of" the building, which is more than, 100 years old, was destroyed, and a side hall damaged, in the blaze.
The RUC said it was too early to determine whether sectarianism was the motivation for the fire. But local people said the church was vandalised before being set on fire. More than two years ago the nearby East End Baptist church was destroyed in a suspected sectarian arson attack.
The MP for the area, Mr Peter Robinson, condemned the "evil and provocative act" which demonstrated the "Satanic mind-set of some in our community".
"This attack is but one of a number of similar attacks on Protestant buildings such as churches, church halls, and Orange halls. Province-wide the pattern is unmistakable - it is an attempt to intimidate and provoke, an attempt to force people out of an area. All decent people must speak out and rally around those under attack," he added.
Sinn Fein spokesman, Mr Martin McGuinness, said he deplored the attacks. "Where these incidents arise the perpetrators should be left in no doubt as to the opposition of nationalists to this type of reprehensible behaviour."
