BAMBINO PRESO A MAZZATE. RESPONSABILITA’ DELL’UDA?
Tyler Moore, un bambino di 9 anni, è stato assalito a mazzate da un gruppo di sei uomini a viso coperto che hanno fatto irruzione nella casa di famiglia a Newtownabbey.
A niente è valso il suo appello disperato: “Mi chiamo Tyler. Ho solo nove anni, per favore non mi colpite”.
La madre Lisa, ha definito ‘vili’ i malviventi. Il ragazzino è stato tenuto per alcune ore in osservazione in ospedale, ma la paura è troppo grande per far ritorno in quella casa.
“Lo hanno colpito con una mazza da baseball, ma non hanno fornito alcuna ragione a giustificazione della loro presenza lì – hanno ridotto la mia casa a spazzatura in pochi minuti”, ha dichiarato la donna rimasta illesa, alla BBC.
L’unica cosa ad essersi salvata è stato il televisore che si trova in camera da letto.
La madre non ha ora escluso di trasferirsi altrove con Tyler, per potergli assicurare un nuovo inizio.
La donna ha ipotizzato che alle spalle dell’attacco, di probabile matrice settaria, possa esserci l’UDA (Ulster Defence Association). La famiglia infatti avrebbe stretto rapporti di amici con dei cattolici residenti nell’area.
Ma Tommy Kirkham, in precedenza membro dell’UDA-allineata all’Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG), ha escluso eventuali responsabilità dell’UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) e dell’UDA della zona, ma sta valutando l’ipotesi di un’mplicazione della South-East Antrim Brigade.
Kirkham, condannando l’attacco, è convinto che sia improbabile la motivazione settaria, perchè nell’area la presenza di lavoratori e residenti cattolici è piuttosto numerosa.
Dura la condanna anche da parte dell’assessore William DeCourcy del DUP, che ha espresso l’assurdità di un attacco contro un bambino di 9 anni e che ha chiesto di attendere attendere gli sviluppi delle indagini del PSNI, prima di avanzare ipotesi.
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Child attack blamed on UDA (NewsLetter)
A NINE-year-old boy pleaded with a gang not to beat him as they smashed up his home.
Up to six masked men went through the Newtownabbey house trashing rooms throughout the property on Sunday before using a baseball bat on Tyler Moore.
Despite desperately pleading “My name is Tyler. I’m only nine years old, please don’t hit me”, the boy was struck with the bat.
His mother Lisa branded the attackers “cowardly”.
She said Tyler, who was kept in hospital for observation overnight, was now too scared to go home.
“They hit him with a baseball bat but they didn’t give any reason why they were in my home – they trashed my home in a matter of minutes,” she told the BBC.
She escaped uninjured, and said the men gave no reason why they were attacking her home in Carmeen Drive.
“The only thing left is his TV in the bedroom – they threw his PC to the ground, they smashed toilets, sink, every window in the house.
“While my house is in the state it’s in, there’s no point going back to it because there’s nothing there – I may as well move and rebuild a life for myself and my son.”
The family believe the attack on their Rathcoole home was carried out by the UDA. But this was denied by local independent councillor Tommy Kirkham.
A source close to the family said the only reason they could think of for the attack was that they would bring Catholic friends into the neighbourhood.
Mr Kirkham, previously a member of the UDA-aligned Ulster Political Research Group, says he still gives analysis to the South East Antrim UDA.
“As an elected representative I condemn this attack,” he said. “This had nothing to do with paramilitary groups; I have spoken to both the UVF and UDA in the area.”
Mr Kirkham thought it unlikely that the motivation for the attack would have been due to Ms Moore’s friendship with Catholics.
“I work in Rathcoole and there are Catholics in it every day,” he said.
He added that he did not have much detail yet about what had happened.
Alderman William DeCourcy of the DUP also condemned the attack.
He said it was wrong when a gang forces their way into a home and gives a beating to a young boy.
He too doubted that the motivation would have been on religious grounds.
“Catholics are coming into the estate all the time and there are also Catholics living there in this estate,” he added.
Mr DeCourcy emphasised the need to wait for the police to carry out their investigations into what had happened.
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