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Gunmen 'were among town rioters' | Gunmen 'were among town rioters' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Rioters who hijacked at least five vehicles in Lurgan, County Armagh, were "a disgrace to Northern Ireland", the police have said. | Rioters who hijacked at least five vehicles in Lurgan, County Armagh, were "a disgrace to Northern Ireland", the police have said. |
Two vans set alight and abandoned on a railway track have been removed. | Two vans set alight and abandoned on a railway track have been removed. |
Trouble is thought to have been sparked by the jailing of three men from the town over a dissident republican plot to kill police with a mortar bomb. | Trouble is thought to have been sparked by the jailing of three men from the town over a dissident republican plot to kill police with a mortar bomb. |
Chief Inspector Jason Murphy said police had received numerous reports of armed men in the area. | Chief Inspector Jason Murphy said police had received numerous reports of armed men in the area. |
"While there are no reports of any shots being fired, this is not acceptable behaviour for our streets and robust action will be taken," he said. | "While there are no reports of any shots being fired, this is not acceptable behaviour for our streets and robust action will be taken," he said. |
He said there were no reports of petrol bombs being thrown and no-one was injured. | He said there were no reports of petrol bombs being thrown and no-one was injured. |
"This was clearly an attempt to draw my officers into the situation to escalate the violence and to cause serious disruption or injury," he added. | "This was clearly an attempt to draw my officers into the situation to escalate the violence and to cause serious disruption or injury," he added. |
Dissident mortar bomb gang jailed | Dissident mortar bomb gang jailed |
Two vans were hijacked on Thursday night in the Kilwilkie estate, while an articulated lorry was also set on fire in the nearby Tullygally estate. | Two vans were hijacked on Thursday night in the Kilwilkie estate, while an articulated lorry was also set on fire in the nearby Tullygally estate. |
SDLP MLA Dolores Kelly said disturbances had been anticipated following the sentencing of the three dissident republicans but police faced a difficult job in these situations. | |
"I spoke to the police on Tuesday and they had additional resources in the town and were well-prepared for all eventualities," she said. | "I spoke to the police on Tuesday and they had additional resources in the town and were well-prepared for all eventualities," she said. |
"The trap is of course to draw the police down into the area where there are hijacked vehicles." | "The trap is of course to draw the police down into the area where there are hijacked vehicles." |
Ms Kelly said those behind the trouble were "a very small minority of people dragging the whole community down". | Ms Kelly said those behind the trouble were "a very small minority of people dragging the whole community down". |
Disruption | Disruption |
Public transport company Translink said rail services were disrupted between Lisburn and Portadown and a bus substitution service is in place. | Public transport company Translink said rail services were disrupted between Lisburn and Portadown and a bus substitution service is in place. |
Lake Street, near the railway crossing where the vans were abandoned, remained closed on Friday morning. | Lake Street, near the railway crossing where the vans were abandoned, remained closed on Friday morning. |
The trouble came after three Lurgan men were each jailed for 15 years for plotting to kill police officers with a mortar bomb. | The trouble came after three Lurgan men were each jailed for 15 years for plotting to kill police officers with a mortar bomb. |
Damien McKenna, 26, of Deans Walk, Gary Toman, 24, of Drumnahoe Avenue and Sean McConville, 23, of Kilwilkie Road, pleaded guilty. | Damien McKenna, 26, of Deans Walk, Gary Toman, 24, of Drumnahoe Avenue and Sean McConville, 23, of Kilwilkie Road, pleaded guilty. |
A live mortar, complete with launching tube, was found near the Cornakinnegar Road in April 2007. | A live mortar, complete with launching tube, was found near the Cornakinnegar Road in April 2007. |
The police said they believed the men were members of the dissident republican Continuity IRA. | The police said they believed the men were members of the dissident republican Continuity IRA. |