Arson attack on school

The beleaguered nationalist Whitewell community in North Belfast was targeted, for the second time in 24 hours, when loyalists torched their school in the early hours of Tuesday morning 26 July. The sports hall of St Mary's Star of the Sea was severely damaged in the arson attack. The blaze was so intense that it took fire fighters over two hours to bring it under control.

The attack was carried out just over 24 hours after up to five house in the nearby Catherine Court, off the Whitewell Road, were targeted by a 40 strong unionist mob.

The school was torched 10 years ago at the height of the Drumcree dispute. Four classrooms were completely destroyed and had to be rebuilt.

Speaking to An Phoblacht Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly urged unionist politicians, "to show leadership in their communities" and confront the sectarian mobs responsible for the attacks of recent days".