Overwhelming bulk of shootings in NI are by republicans – but loyalists prefer fists and bombs

Today’s Independent Reporting Commission’s report into paramilitarism in the Province relies heavily on police data about the number and type of terror-related crimes still being committed.
By Adam Kula
Published 7th Dec 2021, 15:22 BST
Updated 7th Dec 2021, 17:33 BST
Republican mural of gunmenRepublican mural of gunmen
Republican mural of gunmen

Read our full report on the IRC’s findings here: New body should be set up to coax terrorists into giving up power, says major new report

This data shows there is quite a strong distinction in the way republicans and loyalists handle so-called punishment attacks.

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In short, republicans are far more likely to shoot victims, and loyalists prefer to beat them up.

The IRC report quotes police figures showing that in 2020/21, 14 of the 18 shooting incidents were attributed to republicans, with only four attributed to loyalists.

But during the same time period, loyalists were behind 31 paramilitary-type assaults, with republicans being involved in eight.

Loyalists were also behind far more bombings – 11 in all during 2020/21, with republicans behind three.

This figure does not include petrol bombings or hoaxes.

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Taking bombs and bullets together, the most violent areas were Causeway Coast and Glens and Derry City and Strabane.

They faced, respectively, five bombings and seven shootings, and one bombing and 11 shootings in 2020/21.

The IRC report also for more mixed schooling of children, and more mixed housing estates.

It says integrated schools are oversubscribed, with under 8% of pupils attending such institutions.

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The authors add that some people have argued integrated schooling “plays an underappreciated role in tackling paramilitarism”.

Meanwhile, they say “a low proportion of new-build housing by the NI Housing Executive is shared” (meaning specifically developed so that any new estate does not have more than 70% of residents hailing from one particular community), and calls for this to be increased.

The IRC report’s authors are John McBurney and Monica McWilliams, nominated by the Northern Ireland Executive), Tim O’Connor nominated by the Irish Government, and Mitchell Reiss nominated by the UK.

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