Opinion

No justification for despicable gun attack

A terrifying gun attack in Co Armagh that has left a 31-year-old man fighting for his life is the latest violent crime involving firearms in this area, a development that has to be regarded as deeply sinister.

The victim was shot in the head and left critically injured after at least 20 rounds were fired through a living room window in Carrigart Crescent in Craigavon.

While it is not clear what the motive for this attack was, there is no suggestion of paramilitary involvement.

Nevertheless, this was by any standards an organised and determined attempt to kill.

Police said an automatic weapon may have been used by the gun gang in the early hours of Monday.

Detectives have also revealed that a Skoda Octavia linked to the murder bid and later found burned out in New Line had been stolen in Dublin in December and fitted with false number plates.

Certainly, the orchestration, planning and ruthlessness involved in this attack bears some similarity to the activities of the criminal gangs who operate in the Dublin area and we can only hope that we are not seeing this type of gangsterism spreading to Northern Ireland.

While police try to discover why this man was targeted, it has to be firmly stated that this was a wholly despicable crime for which there can be no possible justification.

The victim was alone at the time but his attackers were not to know this when they fired a hail of bullets at the house in this residential area.

It is only a few days since a 60-year-old man was injured in a shotgun attack on his home in Poyntzpass and while police are not linking the incidents, once again the use of firearms has to be regarded as a worrying development.

In terms of the Craigavon shooting, police are appealing for information particularly in relation to the Skoda Octavia.

Anyone who can help the PSNI in any way must come forward.