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22/07/2002
Loyalist paramilitary group claim murder of Catholic
The Red Hand Defenders have claimed that they murdered a Catholic man in north Belfast on Sunday night.
The man, who has been named as 19-year-old Gerard Lawlor, was shot as he walked alone on Flora Road in the north of the city.
The Red Hand Defenders - a flag of convenience for loyalist paramilitary groups such as the UDA and the UFF - claimed they carried out killing, which followed a weekend of serious sectarian unrest across interface flashpoints in west and north Belfast.
The murdered man's mother has appealed for no retaliation to the murder.
Northern Ireland secretary John Reid condemned the killing and pledged to bring the murderers to justice.
"The series of shootings in north Belfast last night which ended in the vicious murder of a young Catholic man are beneath contempt," said Dr Reid.
"No community grievance or political cause could ever justify this. The murderers must and will be brought to justice."
Superintendent Roy Suitters urged both republicans and loyalists to desist from further violence and enter into dialogue.
"To all people of influence, I would ask for them to get everybody together and get this problem sorted out, because when a 12 year old on one side of Belfast throws a stone, someone on the other side of Belfast ends up being killed. Somehow, somewhere, this has to stop," said Supt Suitters.
The MP for North Belfast, the DUP's Nigel Dodds, described the killing as a "dreadful murder of a young man who appears to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time".
The shooting flies in the face of a 'no-first-strike' policy declared by the Combined Loyalist Military Command – which comprises the leadership of loyalist paramilitary groupings – earlier this month.
Following the murder of Catholic postal worker Danny McColgan in January, the Red Hand Defenders issued a statement saying it would disband.
Police have called for anyone who was in the area at the time to contact detectives at North Queen Street police station on 028 9025 9705.
(GMcG)
The man, who has been named as 19-year-old Gerard Lawlor, was shot as he walked alone on Flora Road in the north of the city.
The Red Hand Defenders - a flag of convenience for loyalist paramilitary groups such as the UDA and the UFF - claimed they carried out killing, which followed a weekend of serious sectarian unrest across interface flashpoints in west and north Belfast.
The murdered man's mother has appealed for no retaliation to the murder.
Northern Ireland secretary John Reid condemned the killing and pledged to bring the murderers to justice.
"The series of shootings in north Belfast last night which ended in the vicious murder of a young Catholic man are beneath contempt," said Dr Reid.
"No community grievance or political cause could ever justify this. The murderers must and will be brought to justice."
Superintendent Roy Suitters urged both republicans and loyalists to desist from further violence and enter into dialogue.
"To all people of influence, I would ask for them to get everybody together and get this problem sorted out, because when a 12 year old on one side of Belfast throws a stone, someone on the other side of Belfast ends up being killed. Somehow, somewhere, this has to stop," said Supt Suitters.
The MP for North Belfast, the DUP's Nigel Dodds, described the killing as a "dreadful murder of a young man who appears to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time".
The shooting flies in the face of a 'no-first-strike' policy declared by the Combined Loyalist Military Command – which comprises the leadership of loyalist paramilitary groupings – earlier this month.
Following the murder of Catholic postal worker Danny McColgan in January, the Red Hand Defenders issued a statement saying it would disband.
Police have called for anyone who was in the area at the time to contact detectives at North Queen Street police station on 028 9025 9705.
(GMcG)
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