30/08/2005

Catholic school targeted in petrol bomb attack

A catholic school in the Co Antrim town of Ballymena has been targeted in an overnight petrol bomb attack.

Five devices were thrown at St Mary's School in the Harryville area of the town between 5pm on Monday and 9am on Tuesday.

Windows were smashed and damage caused to the library and canteen are estimated to cost £1,000 to repair.

Sinn Fein North Antrim MLA Philip McGuigan blamed loyalists for the attack and called on the DUP to tackle the problem.

"Catholic homes, churches and business have all been targeted in recent months as unionist paramilitaries intensify their violent campaign in North Antrim," Mr McGuigan said.

"It is becoming clear that the DUP are failing to grasp the nettle of unionist paramilitary violence. They are failing to act to end the campaign and failing to show the necessary political leadership to allow us to move forward collectively in the time ahead."

Police have confirmed that they are taking a sectarian motive as a possible line of enquiry in their investigation.

(MB/SP)

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