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Racists threaten Albanian businessman

By Claire McNeilly
Tuesday, 18 December 2007

An Ulster businessman has said his family is living in terror after racist graffiti was daubed over his company's premises.

Albanian man Arthur Cufaj (34), who has lived in Belfast for 12 years, said that his car wash has been attacked twice in just three days.

The father-of-two claimed that National Front and Ku Klux Klan graffiti had been smeared on tarmac at his premises, near Stormont, warning him to leave.

Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Cufaj said that he fears for the safety of his wife Joniba (26) and their children - Sinead (2) and baby Jennifer, who is just three months old.

"On Sunday I arrived at work to find the tarmac painted white with National Front and KKK logos saying I have three days to get out," he said.

"This is the first time I've had a problem. My wife is Albanian but we called our children Irish names because we want to be part of the culture here. But now I feel very frightened. I feel threatened. They're going to try and make me leave. I don't want that. I want to stay and help my family. My wife is scared too. We haven't slept since the attack. We're just waiting for something to happen. We are living in terror."

Mr Cufaj - proprietor of USA Hand Car Wash and Valeting Centre on the Upper Newtownards Road - also said that the workshop was badly damaged after being set alight by arsonists on Thursday night. "Between the fire damage and the graffiti, there about £1,000 worth of damage has been done," he added.

South Belfast Alliance MLA Anna Lo condemned the attacks and the perpetrators. "I am appalled at the incidents and the people responsible for them.

"I would call on the people behind this to stop immediately. They are a small number of people in our society and they have no place in our society."

Mr Cufaj, who came to Northern Ireland seeking asylum, holds both British and Albanian passports.

A PSNI spokeswomen confirmed an incident of criminal damage had been reported at premises on the Upper Newtownards Road.

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