Loyalists 'behind impaling attack'

Harry McCartan's family photographed him in hospital

A senior paramilitary source has said loyalists were behind the weekend attack in which a man was nailed to a fence by his hands in Belfast.

A figure within the Ulster Defence Association said the attack on Harry McCartan was not "orchestrated" by the UDA but was "definitely" carried out by loyalists.

Mr McCartan, 23, from the nationalist Poleglass area had his hands nailed to a post and had his legs broken.

Henry McCartan had no idea why his son was attacked

The source claimed the attack was "a reaction to car crime."

The gang left the victim with his legs broken and face gouged.

Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson, who represents the area, said it was a barbaric attack.

"I have spoken to a member of the McCartan family this morning and have expressed my abhorrence at what has happened and have informed them that the decent law-abiding people who live in Seymour Hill are strongly opposed to this type of illegal activity," he said.

"They, like I, deplore the depravity of the people who carried out this dreadful attack."

Deputy leader of the Alliance Party Eileen Bell said the paramilitary-style attack in Dunmurry on the outskirts of south Belfast was "an act of pure evil".

Mr McCartan was taken to hospital semi-conscious with his hands still impaled on fencing after firefighters cut him free on Saturday morning.

His father Henry said when his son was found in a lane near the loyalist Seymour Hill estate he was unrecognisable, bleeding from his eyes and ears and had to be identified by a tattoo on his arm.

Eileen Bell: "Barbaric cowards"

On Sunday he underwent an operation lasting almost five hours to remove the nails from his hands in the Royal Victoria Hospital and he is said to be in a stable condition.

Mrs Bell said: "Those behind this are barbaric cowards, and I would ask the community to assist the police in any way possible, before this happens again.

Local SDLP assembly member Patricia Lewsley also condemned the attack.

She said: "It was quite barbaric and I'm sure the majority of people who live in Seymour Hill are horrified that this has happened on their doorstep.

Vigilantes blamed

The police said they had ruled out a sectarian motive and believed vigilantes carried out the "barbaric and particularly vicious" attack.

Superintendent Gerry Murray said: "I have never come across anything so barbaric.

Superintendent Gerry Murray: Appeal for information

"This is a young man who was set upon by an unknown group who brutally beat him and then nailed him to a post."

He appealed to anyone with information about the attack which took place at about 0345 GMT on Saturday to contact them.

Henry McCartan last saw his son before the attack when Harry had left home to go to the social security office in Andersonstown.

He said he did not know why he was attacked.

"His face was unrecognisable, I had to identify him by a tattoo on his arm," he said.

Detectives are examining a BMW car containing two blood-stained baseball bats which was stolen in the Dunmurry area early on Saturday morning.

It was later found near the Kennedy Centre in Andersonstown.

They have also examined a red Rover car found near the scene of the attack.