`Punishment' incidents up, says FAIT

The Northern group Families against Intimidation and Terror (FAIT) has released figures detailing loyalist and republican shootings…

The Northern group Families against Intimidation and Terror (FAIT) has released figures detailing loyalist and republican shootings and beatings over the past 26 years.

FAIT said the IRA carried out 118 attacks in 1998, 40 more than last year. Loyalist paramilitaries were responsible for 119 incidents, 42 up on last year.

FAIT's spokesman, Mr Vincent McKenna, said the figures show it has "been one of the worst years in 26 years of terrorist violence". The paramilitaries should enter the democratic process "for real" or be "dealt with by the full resource of the state".