Provisional republicans are continuing to intimidate members and associates of the McCartney family, the family said last night after a friend of Robert McCartney was badly beaten in an assault in east Belfast.
Jeff Commander (34) blamed republicans for attacking him with sewer rods and iron bars in the Clandeboye area of Belfast, close to the Short Strand, on Monday night.
Mr Commander said the attack was not authorised by the IRA, but a number of known provisional republicans were involved. He suffered a severe head injury for which he required hospital treatment.
The attack came after he intervened to quell a row involving members of the McCartney family and republicans earlier on Monday night, according to Catherine McCartney, sister of Robert. Last night, about 100 people turned out outside Mr McCartney's partner Bridgeen Hagans' house in support of the family.
Mr Commander was a close friend of Mr McCartney. He was in Magennis's bar with him on the night he was murdered in January, but went home before the attack happened.
Mr Commander said he was going to report the assault to the PSNI. This followed a protest outside the home of Ms Hagans on Tuesday. Ms McCartney said republicans sympathetic to those who killed Mr McCartney had learned Mr Commander was going to the police. She said they demanded that Ms Hagans and her children move out of Short Strand. "They also demanded that Jeff withdraw his complaints to the police against his attackers."
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said last night: "Such intimidatory tactics are unacceptable and should not be repeated."
Sinn Féin MP Martin McGuinness said the incidents were wrong and should stop. SDLP MP Alasdair McDonnell said the intimidation of the McCartneys had been stepped up to a horrific degree.
