A young man in his 20s endured a horrific ordeal when he was nailed to a fence in a car park in Bushmills, Northern Ireland. The attackers didn't stop there; they also set fire to two vans nearby, one of which belonged to the victim. The police are delving into the incident, with suspicions pointing towards involvement from the paramilitary community.
The 20-year-old was discovered early Sunday morning in the car park in Bushmills, County Antrim, according to the BBC. In a distressing detail, it was reported that both hands nailed the man to the fence. Local police officers indicated that while the injuries sustained are not life-threatening, they could potentially alter the course of his life.
Inspector Lyttle described the assault as profoundly severe in his conversation with "The Independent," stating that it was a sinister attack that resulted in potentially life-changing injuries for the victim. He emphasized the discord such brutality introduces into a democratic society and criticized the attackers for trying to control their communities through intimidation and violence.
"The Independent" noted that firefighters were called to the scene alongside the police, where two vans had been set ablaze, including one that belonged to the man attacked.
Suspicions have fallen on the paramilitary environment
The context of the attack broadened as "The Irish Times" connected it to graffiti found on a public toilet wall, though the specifics of the message were not shared. The finger of suspicion points to the paramilitary sphere, with "The Irish Times" suggesting the Ulster Defence Association might have targeted the young man due to alleged criminal activities.
Source: BBC, The Independent, The Irish Times
