Family hounded out by petrol bomb yobs
The man, who did not want to be identified, said he was sitting with his baby son when the petrol bombers struck, this is the second attack on his family in three weeks and they now feel they have to leave the area
A young couple targeted by petrol bombers in the latest of a summer of attacks on Twaddell Avenue in north Belfast say they've no option but to leave the area.
Their 18-day-old son was lying sleeping just feet beside the living room window when it was engulfed in flames late on Tuesday night.
The baby's father, who did not want to be named, said his son would have been burned alive if the petrol bomb had broken through the window.
He and his girlfriend have endured five years of sporadic attacks on their terrace home on the frontline of the interface with the nationalist Ardoyne.
However, with the welfare of their firstborn in mind, they've now decided enough is enough and are set to move away.
The Housing Executive had previously turned down a request by the couple to be rehoused but in light of the latest attack it has now offered them temporary accommodation elsewhere.
"My son's my number one priority now," said the baby's father.
"We have to move for his safety. I also don't want him growing up to hate people, but if we stay here he will grow up to hate people.
"I was never brought up to hate anyone and I don't want my child to be brought up to hate anyone either."
He went on to describe the terrifying moment when the petrol bomb struck their house.
"It was pure fear, pure panic," he said.
"The child was lying beside me at the window and we were just getting ready to go to bed and all of sudden I just saw this big orange light at window. There was a flash and then the bang.
"I didn't know what to do, the only thing I knew what to do was just lift him and run up the stairs, I thought we would be safer up there. I didn't know whether they were trying to get into the house.
"If that petrol had come through the window he was getting seriously burnt."
The baby's dad revealed that his girlfriend had been forced to climb over a back fence when she was six months pregnant during a similar attack earlier this year.
"She fell over the back wall trying to get into the next-door neighbours," he said.
"She was
six months' pregnant and had to climb over back the wall because she couldn't get out the front door because they (a group from the Ardoyne] were right down as far as the next street trying to get through the doors.
"This is the first time something's happened since he's been born but before that something was happening pretty much every week. If you go two or three weeks without a hit I'm delighted, to be honest with you."
The man said he was in no doubt the attacks were organised.
"For the size of crowds that come over and attack these houses, it's definitely orchestrated," he said.
"When I was young when you used to run about with your mates there was about six or seven of you. There's 40 and 50 of these ones coming over, in my eyes that has to be orchestrated.
"Any idiot knows it takes time to make a petrol bomb so somebody is bound to know this was going to happen.
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Family-hounded-out--.3158684.jp
A young couple targeted by petrol bombers in the latest of a summer of attacks on Twaddell Avenue in north Belfast say they've no option but to leave the area.
Their 18-day-old son was lying sleeping just feet beside the living room window when it was engulfed in flames late on Tuesday night.
The baby's father, who did not want to be named, said his son would have been burned alive if the petrol bomb had broken through the window.
He and his girlfriend have endured five years of sporadic attacks on their terrace home on the frontline of the interface with the nationalist Ardoyne.
However, with the welfare of their firstborn in mind, they've now decided enough is enough and are set to move away.
The Housing Executive had previously turned down a request by the couple to be rehoused but in light of the latest attack it has now offered them temporary accommodation elsewhere.
"My son's my number one priority now," said the baby's father.
"We have to move for his safety. I also don't want him growing up to hate people, but if we stay here he will grow up to hate people.
"I was never brought up to hate anyone and I don't want my child to be brought up to hate anyone either."
He went on to describe the terrifying moment when the petrol bomb struck their house.
"It was pure fear, pure panic," he said.
"The child was lying beside me at the window and we were just getting ready to go to bed and all of sudden I just saw this big orange light at window. There was a flash and then the bang.
"I didn't know what to do, the only thing I knew what to do was just lift him and run up the stairs, I thought we would be safer up there. I didn't know whether they were trying to get into the house.
"If that petrol had come through the window he was getting seriously burnt."
The baby's dad revealed that his girlfriend had been forced to climb over a back fence when she was six months pregnant during a similar attack earlier this year.
"She fell over the back wall trying to get into the next-door neighbours," he said.
"She was
six months' pregnant and had to climb over back the wall because she couldn't get out the front door because they (a group from the Ardoyne] were right down as far as the next street trying to get through the doors.
"This is the first time something's happened since he's been born but before that something was happening pretty much every week. If you go two or three weeks without a hit I'm delighted, to be honest with you."
The man said he was in no doubt the attacks were organised.
"For the size of crowds that come over and attack these houses, it's definitely orchestrated," he said.
"When I was young when you used to run about with your mates there was about six or seven of you. There's 40 and 50 of these ones coming over, in my eyes that has to be orchestrated.
"Any idiot knows it takes time to make a petrol bomb so somebody is bound to know this was going to happen.
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Family-hounded-out--.3158684.jp
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