The attacks were the result of a row over a loyalist mural

Billy Hutchinson MLA

The man, who was in the house at the time of the attack, said that more than 70 men were involved in the attack on his home.

He said he believed he was targetted because he supports the Orange Order's protest at Drumcree.

"They were here last night to try to kill me," he said.

"The UVF think that I am in the LVF.

"I am not. I am involved in no organisation whatsoever.

"I am in the Orange Order, and I left that last year after an upset."

Family flees

Shortly after 0100 BST on Thursday, several windows of another house in the same street were smashed and a car parked at the back of the house was found alight.

The occupants of the house, a woman and her grown-up daughter have moved out because of the attack.

About the same time, another house at Benview Park in the Ballysillan area was set alight.

'Attacked because of Orange Order connections'

The house, which belongs to a campaign worker for the Progressive Unionist Party, was not occupied at the time.

The living room was badly damaged in the fire.

PUP assembly man Billy Hutchinson said he believed the attacks were the result of a row over plans to paint a loyalist mural near the Ballysillan leisure centre.

"My understanding from having talked to the police is that over the last couple of days there was a wall being prepared by some supporters of the UVF to paint a mural," said Mr Hutchinson.

"It was attacked by people who call themselves the LVF and I think that those same people who were painting the mural responded to attacking an LVF mural and it has blown up from there."