The World - News from Aug. 9, 1988

Masked gunmen shot to death a Catholic teen-ager near Belfast, Northern Ireland, then killed a Catholic truck driver trying to stop them with his beer truck. Overnight, there were reports of widespread rioting across the British-ruled province, with Catholics hurling firebombs and torching cars. Supporters of the outlawed Irish Republican Army detonated a powerful bomb about 100 yards from the site of the two murders, but no injuries were reported. No organization claimed responsibility for the killings, but Belfast police said they believe that the shootings were the work of a Protestant paramilitary group bent on revenge for the IRA slayings last week of two elderly workmen repairing a police station.