Northern Ireland cannot progress "while the Provos think that their political mandate allows them to shoot people on a whim," a senior SDLP figure said last night (Thursday).
The activities of the IRA came under fresh scrutiny after a senior republican was injured in a paramilitary-style shooting in the Short Strand area of east Belfast – the second such incident in the area in five weeks.
The Provisionals are believed to have been behind the attack which comes amid intense efforts to broker a deal to restore the power-sharing institutions – a key element of which is the IRA declaring an end to all paramilitary activity.
A well-known republican, understood to have been an ex-'OC' in the Short Strand, was shot in both feet and found in Seaforde Street in the early hours of yesterday.
The exact circumstances of why he was targeted remain unclear but it was suggested yesterday that the republican, believed to be in his mid-thirties, was shot after an incident at a house in the Catholic enclave.
The attack occurred just weeks after another republican, in his forties, was shot in both elbows and ankles in the Short Strand, an attack also linked to the IRA. Sources last night insisted there was no connection between the two or reports that they were linked to a feud.
There has been an increase in such activity by the Provisionals over recent months with the son of murdered drug dealer Michael Mooney Snr, was recently singled out by an IRA gang in west Belfast. Latest police statistics show a rise in republican shootings with 54 carried out so far this year compared to 48 for the previous 10-month period.
Although the PSNI figures do not give a breakdown of organisations involved, Chief Constable Hugh Orde recently told The Irish News that the number carried out by the IRA had increased.
Last night Sinn Féin councillor for Short Strand Joe O'Donnell repeated his party's position on paramilitary-style attacks.
"I don't believe punishment shootings are the way to deal with the situation but in the absence of proper, effective policing, unfortunately these things do happen," he said.
"I don't know who was responsible for it. Regardless of who it was, I would have the same opinion (on paramilitary-style attacks)."
Dr Alasdair McDonnell, former SDLP assembly member for south Belfast, said: "I condemn any attack on any human being whether it is a punishment beating or otherwise. These are totally unjustified and the Provos must explain how and why this is happening." and why it is happening.
"It is totally at odds with all Gerry Adams's posturing and pronouncements of the past week."
"Belfast and Northern Ireland cannot make progress, politically or any other way while the Provos think that their political mandate allows them to shoot people on a whim."
