A man shot four times in a brutal dissident republican paramilitary-style assault has vowed to quit Twinbrook for good.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Christopher Sell said he fears he will be killed if he returns to West Belfast.

The 21-year-old was in bed with his girlfriend at his grandmother’s house in Laburnum Row on Tuesday night when four masked and armed men stormed in.

One held his grandmother  downstairs while the others burst into the bedroom, bundled their victim to the ground and shot him twice in both legs.

Christopher initially struggled with the gunmen, however they warned them that if he continued fighting things would be much worse. 

The West Belfast man’s shocked girlfriend witnessed the entire incident.

Christopher says he has no idea why he was attacked, claiming to never have heard of the ‘Óglaigh na hÉireann’ group which telephoned the Andersonstown News yesterday with a codeword to claim responsibility. 

“I don’t have a clue why I was shot. 

“I’ve never broken into a house in my life and I’ve never been in a stolen car. 

“Sure, I sell a bit of blow to my mates, but only a wee bit, nothing big,” he said.

Surgeons yesterday removed two of the bullets from Christopher’s legs, however the other two will remain lodged below his knees for life.

“I don’t know what I am going to do, but I won’t be able to go back to Twinbrook. 

“It’s too dangerous, I could be killed,” he added.

Last month Christopher’s older brother Mark was attacked by a samurai-sword wielding gang.

Shortly afterwards he says both he and his brother were ordered to a meeting with the Continuity IRA.

They failed to show and two weeks later a shot was fired through Christopher’s mum’s home in Laburnum Park.

It was after this that he moved into his grandmother’s house in Laburnum Row – the scene of Tuesday’s paramilitary-style attack.

In a call to the Andersonstown News, using a codeword, ‘Óglaigh na hÉireann’ said it was responsible for recent gun attacks on individuals across West Belfast.

“Some attacks have been attributed to the Real IRA or CIRA, this is not the case,” said the caller.

SDLP MLA Alex Attwood condemned the attack on Mr Sell.

He said: “Whatever this was about, or whatever issues face the community, attacks of this nature are not justifiable.”