1 April 1999 Edition
Loyalist abduction attempt in South Belfast
A 22-year-old West Belfast man has described how his mobile phone saved his life after he was abducted by loyalists in Tate's Avenue on St. Patrick's night, the third such attempt in Belfast in a week. An Phoblacht reported last week that two West Belfast youths had a lucky escape when loyalists grabbed them as they went through the Village area. If one of them had not escaped to raise the alarm, the loyalists, who were armed with knives, would almost certainly have killed them.
In this latest case, the man, who wished to remain anonymous, had been walking along the South Belfast thoroughfare on his way to his girlfriend's house at Ulsterville Avenue when he was attacked.
As he reached the bridge at Tate's Avenue he was assaulted by the loyalist mob. ``I was grabbed from behind. My shirt was pulled over my head and I was kicked to the ground,'' he said. ``Two men held my arms and another one held my head.''
As six other men quickly arrived on the scene, the young nationalist was dragged down a set of steps into an alleyway.
``They asked me where I live. I told them Ulsterville Avenue but they took out my wallet. It was then that they saw my St. Paul's GAA card. After this there was nothing said for a while then another man arrived on the scene and he gave the orders for me to be taken away.''
He was then brought along railway tracks to a derelict house in the heart of the Village area.
Two older men then turned up and ordered the others to put money and a mobile phone they had taken off the man back in his pockets and to wipe the fingerprints off the wallet.
``One of the fellas asked where another man was. He was told that he was being fetched and that I would be `finished off'.''
At this point the man's mobile phone went off, which distracted the gang, allowing him to pull free from the mob.
After a brief and terrifying chase the young man arrived on the Donegal Road,, where the mob gave up the chase.
``I haven't been able to sleep and I don't feel comfortable when I'm on my own. They still have my wallet so I haven't been staying at home since the incident. Some people called to my girlfriend's house in a red Ford Escort later that night and asked who lived there. The said they were from Aughnacloy yet they didn't have country accents.
``I'm very lucky to have survived this but I hope other people will learn from my mistakes.''
In this latest case, the man, who wished to remain anonymous, had been walking along the South Belfast thoroughfare on his way to his girlfriend's house at Ulsterville Avenue when he was attacked.
As he reached the bridge at Tate's Avenue he was assaulted by the loyalist mob. ``I was grabbed from behind. My shirt was pulled over my head and I was kicked to the ground,'' he said. ``Two men held my arms and another one held my head.''
As six other men quickly arrived on the scene, the young nationalist was dragged down a set of steps into an alleyway.
``They asked me where I live. I told them Ulsterville Avenue but they took out my wallet. It was then that they saw my St. Paul's GAA card. After this there was nothing said for a while then another man arrived on the scene and he gave the orders for me to be taken away.''
He was then brought along railway tracks to a derelict house in the heart of the Village area.
Two older men then turned up and ordered the others to put money and a mobile phone they had taken off the man back in his pockets and to wipe the fingerprints off the wallet.
``One of the fellas asked where another man was. He was told that he was being fetched and that I would be `finished off'.''
At this point the man's mobile phone went off, which distracted the gang, allowing him to pull free from the mob.
After a brief and terrifying chase the young man arrived on the Donegal Road,, where the mob gave up the chase.
``I haven't been able to sleep and I don't feel comfortable when I'm on my own. They still have my wallet so I haven't been staying at home since the incident. Some people called to my girlfriend's house in a red Ford Escort later that night and asked who lived there. The said they were from Aughnacloy yet they didn't have country accents.
``I'm very lucky to have survived this but I hope other people will learn from my mistakes.''