The IRA has denied it is behind recent suspected republican "punishment" shootings and beatings. The current edition of the republican weekly An Phoblacht carries a comment from an "IRA spokesperson" denying it is orchestrating such attacks.
The IRA spokesperson said the claims by Families Against Intimidation and Terror (FAIT) of "IRA involvement in a series of so-called punishment attacks is completely bogus". The report was also critical of FAIT'S chief spokesman, Mr Vincent McKenna.
It accused "British Tories as well as pro-unionist Labour politicians" of having "embarked on a serious campaign to undermine the peace process where they have raised the question of so-called punishment attacks".
Mr McKenna, responding to the report, said "everybody knows" that the IRA was responsible for republican "punishment" attacks.