PSNI link to teenager's killing

A loyalist, whose brother is a serving PSNI member, has been implicated in the sectarian killing of 15-year-old Thomas Devlin (right) in August 2005.

It is believed the man helped clean the clothes of the teenager's killers.

PSNI detectives have obtained mobile telephone records linking the loyalist to a woman also suspected of covering up the murder. The pair exchanged telephones calls a short time after the murder and allowed those responsible to shower in a flat they once shared.

Two loyalists from the loyalist Mount Vernon estate on the outskirts of North Belfast are believed to have murdered Devlin as he returned home from a local shop.

One of the men was subsequently sent to jail for his involvement in a vicious sectarian attack on a Catholic teenager.

Sources in the Mount Vernon area have said that at least five people with UVF connections were involved in the murder and the PSNI know the names of the two people who stabbed the Catholic teenager.

During the last eight months, the PSNI has questioned eight people and searched over 20 premises in connection with the killing.

The PSNI have steadfastly refused to describe the killing as sectarian, despite overwhelming evidence that it was.

Terrorised family to leave Ireland

An African man viciously beaten in a racist attack in the Castlereagh area of East Belfast on Tuesday night 18 April said he will be leaving Ireland. Paddy Dolo (51) originally from Liberia, was beaten about the head and body by a man carrying an iron bar whop called him a "black bastard" as he stood outside his Camlough Place home.

Dolo claimed years of racist abuse directed at his family had finally taken its toll and he will be moving to stay with relatives in the United States. He also said he can't get a job because of his colour while his 20-year-old daughter Sherley said the PSNI don't want to do anything about the racist attack.

Meanwhile Sara Boyce from the Anti-Racism Network stressed that this latest racist attack came on the back of a series of attacks against Filipinos in Dundonald and Polish people living in the Village area of South Belfast. "A stronger message must go out that such attacks will not be tolerated in our society. The victim of this attack has indicated that he believes it was racially motivated and we would expect the PSNI to publicly acknowledge this and to investigate it on the basis of a racist motive".

Branch involvement in Donaldson affair

PSNI Special Branch has serious questions to answer about its role in publicising Denis Donaldson's whereabouts. Sinn Féin Assembly member for North Belfast Gerry Kelly said there had been a failure to answer questions about the involvement of former RUC man Colin Breen, in the Sunday World exposure of Denis Donaldson's whereabouts in Donegal.

Attacks condemned

Sinn Féin West Belfast MLA Sue Ramsey has paid tribute to the work of Relatives for Justice following a number of attacks on their Falls Road offices. Ramsey said those responsible should recognise that in hurting an organisation that supports this community they are hurting the community.

SDLP support for Orange Order

Sinn Féin East Derry MLA Francie Brolly has challenged local SDLP MLA John Dallat to come clean over the party's position on financial support for the Orange Order 26 April. Dallat and SDLP colleagues on Coleraine Council voted to allocate £10,000 of ratepayers money towards local Orange Order events. This despite SDLP opposition to the funding of Orange Order events by the NI events company.

Shoukri escapes charges again

Notorious North Belfast UDA gangster Ihab Shoukri has had charges relating to a paramilitary show of strength dropped. Shoukri was arrested with over a dozen others during a PSNI raid on the Alexander Bar on the York Road in North Belfast on 2 March.

A Belfast court was told on Monday 24 April that the prosecution would not be relying on the evidence of a senior PSNI officer in relation to the charges against Shoukri.

Nationalists are now questioning how Shoukri has again escaped charges of participation in the UDA show of strength despite the fact that a UDA statement, said to be in Shoukri's handwriting, was discovered during the PSNI raid.

Shoukri appeared at Belfast's Laganside Court on Monday 24 April on charges of UDA membership.

Despite already being on bail on UDA membership charges and being found in a bar where a UDA display was taking place, Shoukri was released without charges.