Extremists threaten Indian community in Ireland

Ireland's dreaded Protestant extremist group Ulster Defence Association has threatened the Indian community there to leave or face bomb attacks.

In a letter sent to the Indian Community Centre at the Carlisle Methodist Memorial Church in Belfast, the extremists warned: "No sympathy for foreigners, get out of our Queen's country before our bonfire night (July 11) and parade day (July 12)."

"Other than that your building will be blown up. Keep Northern Ireland white. Northern Ireland is only for white British," it added.

The threat letter by the youth wing of the UDA was also sent to the Belfast Islamic Centre and the Polish Association.

The letter has come just weeks after more than 100 immigrants returned to Romania following a series of alleged "racial attacks" in Belfast.

Patrick Yu, executive director at the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (Nicem), said race-hate crime had grown steadily in Northern Ireland recent years, with increasing incidents of assaults, intimidation, harassment and robberies.

"It really is more about trying to reignite the issue," he said.

The Indian Community Centre built in 1876 is a regional organisation that provides a range of services and organises activities mainly for the Indian community in Northern Ireland.

It also aims to provide facilities for people of Indian descent to maintain their philosophical, cultural and artistic heritage.