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Armed men 'seen at disturbances' Armed men 'seen at disturbances'
(about 6 hours later)
Armed and masked gunmen have reportedly been seen in Lurgan, County Armagh, with a number of vehicles hijacked. Armed and masked gunmen have reportedly been seen in Lurgan, County Armagh, on a second night of trouble in the town.
Two vans were hijacked and then set alight at a railway crossing at Lake Street. About 30 youths have been involved in the disturbances. Two vans were hijacked and then set alight at a railway crossing at Lake Street. About 30 youths were involved in the disturbances.
The public are being advised to avoid the Lake Street area and in Craigavon, the Tullygally East Road, the Brownlow Road and the Monbrief Road. Disturbances in the town followed the sentencing of three local men on Thursday over a dissident republican mortar bomb plot to murder police.
The railway line between Lisburn and Portadown is closed for a second night. The railway line between Portadown and Lisburn was closed for a second night.
Trouble in the town on Thursday followed the sentencing of three local men over a dissident republican mortar bomb plot aimed at murdering police. Motorists were advised to avoid parts of Lurgan and Craigavon for a time on Friday night.
A replica gun was found by police carrying out searches following the trouble. Sinn Fein councillor Johnny McGibbon said the rioters had again failed in their attempts to create widespread disruption.
A property was searched in the Kilwilkee area of the town on Friday, a day after at least five vehicles were hijacked during a night of violence. "The majority of young republicans are not interested in this type of activity and have stayed away," he said.
Two vans were set alight and abandoned on a nearby railway track. "At this point the PSNI have not been dragged into confrontation in the area, and this is the sensible approach."
Chief Inspector Jason Murphy said police had received numerous reports of armed men in the area. On Thursday night, at least five vehicles were hijacked during a night of violence.
Two vans were hijacked and left to burn on a railway track Replica gun
Two vans were set alight and abandoned on the nearby railway track.
Police carrying out a follow-up search at a property in the Kilwilkee area of the town on Friday recovered a replica gun.
Chief Inspector Jason Murphy said police had received numerous reports of armed men in the area on Thursday night.
"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.
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.