Teenager stabbed by 'Celtic' gang

The area is the scene of constant sectarian clashes

Police in Northern Ireland are hunting for a gang of loyalists who posed as nationalists to attack people along the peaceline in Belfast.

Four youths stabbed a 17-year-old youth while wearing the green and white colours of Celtic football club.

The club is overwhelmingly supported by the Catholic community in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The gang made off towards a loyalist area and it is believed they used the Celtic shirt to give the impression they were Catholics.

Sinn Fein said the practice is used by loyalists in attacks on Catholics.

The four youths approached the victim on Broughan Street on Monday and asked him his religion.

This isn't the first time that loyalists out of Tiger's Bay have worn Celtic tops to carry out attacks

Gerry Kelly
Sinn Fein

They punched him and he tried to get away, but fell and was beaten and stabbed three times in the neck.

The four men left the youth, now in a serious condition in hospital, and ran off in the direction of the loyalist Tiger's Bay area.

The attacks came as rival loyalist and republican mobs fought in the Limestone area of the city.

Linda Maguire: "Thought I was going to die"

Earlier, a woman had been stopped in her car and assaulted in similar circumstances.

Three youths, one wearing a Celtic top, attacked her car at the junction of North Queen Street and Duncairn Gardens at 0700 GMT on Monday.

She was questioned before a youth wearing a Celtic top smashed the Ford Fiesta's windows and began beating her while his accomplices began wrecking her car.

After driving the car a short distance, they made off on foot towards Tiger's Bay.

The car was recovered by police soon after.

Interfaces

The woman, Linda Maguire, said: "I thought I was going to die in that car - I thought I was not going to get out.

"I didn't know if they had guns - I didn't know what they had."

Nelson McCausland: Security measures

Gerry Kelly, the Sinn Fein Assemblyman for north Belfast, called on people in Catholic communities to be extra vigilant.

"The fact is, this isn't the first time that loyalists out of Tiger's Bay have worn Celtic tops to carry out attacks in that area," he added.

Democratic Unionist Party councillor Nelson McCausland said: "It strengthens the case with the security minister for the implementation of a programme of security cameras right across the interfaces in north Belfast.

"There was an indication some weeks and months ago that she was thinking in that direction and I would appeal to Jane Kennedy to move on that as quickly as possible."