A 34-year-old man is critically ill in hospital after a "punishment" shooting in a loyalist area of north Belfast. The man was shot in both legs behind a leisure centre on the Forthriver Road in the Ballysillan area on Saturday night.
He is described as "very critical" in hospital. The attack was condemned by the anti-paramilitary group, Families Against Intimidation and Terror. Its development officer, Mr Glyn Roberts, called on both the British and Irish governments to "make crystal clear" to the paramilitaries that prisoners would not be granted early release if such incidents continued.
"These attacks cannot be simply swept under the carpet if we are moving towards a new peaceful and just society which is possible with the agreement," he said.
