THE Irish News has deplored an arson attack on its Belfast premises in the early hours of yesterday morning.when petrol was poured through a window and set alight.
A passing RUC patrol spotted the blaze at 2.40 a.m. This was the first time that the paper had been directly targeted for attack, although it had indirectly suffered damage in other city-centre bombings.
Mr Noel Doran, deputy editor, said the paper viewed the arson attempt as an attack on the freedom of the press.
The attack was also condemned as "absolutely disgraceful" by Mr Jim Rodgers, the Ulster Unionist Party deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast.