The IRA and two loyalist groups, the UDA and the UVF, are responsible for most of the punishment beatings and shootings in Northern Ireland.
A small number of other attacks are the work of splinter groups. The RUC press office reports that loyalists carried out 36 shootings and 35 beatings and republicans 25 beatings and 21 shootings since the start of the year.
The following is a list of some of the beatings and shootings this year:
February 7th: man (23) beaten with hammers in Downpatrick;
February 25th: two Northern Ireland Electricity workmen beaten with iron bars in south Armagh;
March 10th: man (30) shot in north Belfast;
March 11th: youth (16) beaten in north Belfast;
March 13th: man (26) beaten in Creggan, Derry; man (20) shot in ankle, west Belfast; man (24) shot five times in arms and legs in south Armagh;
March 14th: man (20) shot in Strabane;
March 15th: youth (17) shot in east Belfast;
April 1st: man (20) shot in both ankles, west Belfast;
April 2nd: man (22) shot in both legs, north Belfast;
April 3rd: youth (19) shot in both legs, west Belfast; man (26) shot in both ankles, west Belfast;
April 4th: man (45) beaten and stabbed in north Belfast;
April 7th: youth (18) beaten in west Belfast; man (20) beaten in west Belfast;
April 8th man (26) shot in both feet, north Belfast;
April 9th: youth (19) shot in both legs, west Belfast; man shot in leg in west Belfast;
April 11th: man (23) shot in Toomebridge, Co Antrim;
April 16th youth (17) shot in both feet, west Belfast;
April 24th: youth (17) beaten in north Belfast;
April 25th: youth (16) beaten and slashed, west Belfast; youth (19) beaten and slashed by same gang;
April 26th: man (20) beaten, north Belfast; man (30) beaten and lacerated, Downpatrick;
May 2nd: five families intimidated from homes in west Belfast;
May 4th: man (25) shot five times in arms and legs, Dungannon, Co Tyrone;
May 5th: man (41) beaten and shot, Dungannon;
May 6th: man (37) shot in legs, west Belfast; man (42) shot in legs, west Belfast; man (24) shot three times and beaten, south Armagh; youth (19) beaten and legs broken, north Belfast;
May 10th: man (23) beaten, arms and legs broken, west Belfast;
May 15th: two youths, both 19, and man (29) beaten south Armagh;
May 25th: man (64) beaten, Strabane, Co Tyrone;
May 30th: two men (23) and (22) beaten with pickaxes and hammers, Dundalk;
Ulster Defence Association
January 17th: two men (aged 22 and 24) shot in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim;
February 3rd: youth (16) beaten with hammers, Lisburn, Co Antrim;
February 5th: man (24) shot twice, east Belfast;
February 9th: man (25) beaten, Ballymena, Co Antrim;
February 29th: man (31) beaten and shot, Coleraine, Co Derry;
March 2nd: man (33) shot and arms broken, Antrim; man (41) shot in ankle, east Belfast;
March 4th: youth (17) shot in right knee, east Belfast;
March 13th: man (47) shot in leg and body, east Belfast; man (25) shot in leg, north Belfast;
March 14th: man (26) shot in both legs, north Belfast;
March 20th: man (33) shot in leg, north Belfast;
March 21st: man (21) shot in both legs, north Belfast;
March 22nd: man (24) beaten, Newtownabbey;
March 27th: man (29) beaten, Bangor, Co Down;
March 28th: man (21) beaten Ballyclare, Co Antrim;
April 1st: man (34) shot five times, east Antrim; man (24) shot in leg, east Antrim;
April 25th: man (28) shot in leg, east Antrim;
April 26th: youth (15) beaten and shot, west Belfast; youth (17) beaten and shot twice, west Belfast;
May 7th: man (29) shot in leg, east Antrim;
May 8th: man (28) shot in leg, east Antrim; man (21) shot in leg;
May 11th: man (54) shot four times, south Belfast;
May 20th: man (37) shot in leg, Larne, Co Antrim; woman (35) beaten, Dromore, Co Down;
May 21st: man (33) shot in leg, north Belfast;
May 27th: man (28) beaten, Coleraine;
May 28th: man (24) beaten east Belfast;
May 30th: man (38) shot twice Ballynahinch, Co Down;
June 3rd: man (38) shot twice, north Belfast;
Ulster Volunteer Force
February 5th: man (20) beaten with pickaxe handles, east Antrim;
February 27th: man (33) shot three times, Portadown;
April 25th: man (37) shot in foot, Downpatrick;
May 20th: man (39) beaten, Bangor;
June 1st: youth (18), man (20) beaten and covered in paint and feathers, east Belfast.