Jim McDowell, 60, northern editor of the Dublin-based Sunday World newspaper, was kicked and punched by up to four men at the market, just yards from the City Hall.

He was approached from behind by the gang who punched him and knocked him to the ground, where they continued attacking him before fleeing on foot.

Mr McDowell was left nursing injuries to his head, arms and legs – and he blamed the violent attack on drug dealers.

"I just heard a guy saying either you got my brother killed or you are trying to get my brother killed, then someone jumped on me," he told the News Letter last night.

"I got a big smack on the right hand side of my head and when I turned to try to take the person down I got a big smack on the left hand side of my head and they took me down."

Mr McDowell said they continued kicking him, particularly around the head as he lay on the ground.

"What does it say about the freedom of expression and the freedom of the Press," he said.

The journalist has been threatened before by both loyalists and republicans.

This attack comes less than two weeks after his car was smashed up outside a court in Craigavon as he attended a hearing involving a number of men charged in connection with the murder of one of his reporters, Martin O'Hagan, who was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries in Lurgan in September 2001.

One of yesterday's attackers is described as being around 5ft 9in tall, clean shaven with a pale complexion and wearing a black hoody and a distinctive black striped woolly hat.

He may have had a plaster cast on one of his arms.
The second man is described as being of stocky build, hair cropped at the sides and bald on top, wearing a red jacket and dark trousers.

Anyone with information or who may have witnessed the attack is asked to contact police at Lisburn Road in Belfast.