N IRELAND: MAN SHOT DEAD IN FIRST VIOLENCE SINCE PEACE DEAL

(17 Apr 1998) Natural Sound

A man was shot dead in Belfast on Friday although police say it is too early to say whether the attack was part of Northern Ireland's sectarian conflict.

But if that is the case, the killing will be the first such attack since last week's historic Northern Ireland peace agreement.

Police said the man was shot outside this taxi office in Catholic west Belfast on Friday.

Eyewitnesses said they heard six shots and found the man lying on the ground beside his taxi.

He had been shot in the body and legs and was taken to hospital by ambulance, but died shortly afterwards.

The attack took place in the staunchly Irish Republican Andersonstown area of west Belfast.

Police say it is too early to say whether the attack was part of Northern Ireland's sectarian and political conflict.

But if that is the case, the killing will be the first such attack since last week's historic Northern Ireland peace agreement.

Last Friday, Northern Ireland's Catholic and Protestant political parties reached an agreement intended to end three decades of violence in the British-ruled province.

Although the main terrorist organisations are observing ceasefires, splinter groups on both sides have seemed determined to wreck peace efforts.

Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter:   / ap_archive  
Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​
Instagram:   / apnews  


You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...