Disturbances in Lurgan follow searches, arrests

Petrol bombs were thrown in Lurgan on Sunday night following PSNI searches and a bomb alert.

A van was set on fire on the railway line at Lake Street, temporarily closing the line. Two other vehicles were hijacked and set on fire in the town, while a number of petrol bombs were thrown at the PSNI in the republican Kilwilkie estate.

It is thought the arrest and internment of Saoradh vice-chair Many Duffy, who lives in the town, is behind the increased tension.

Sinn Féin’s John O’Dowd condemned the rioters. “Those involved in orchestrating and participating in trouble in Lurgan over the course of the weekend have absolutely nothing to offer our community or society as a whole,” he said.

AAD CLAIM

Separately, Action Against Drugs has claimed responsibility for a series of gun and bomb attacks carried out across Belfast this week. In a statement, the vigilante group also threatened to shoot several people it claims are drug dealers.

The group, which is understood to include former IRA Volunteers, says it fired a shot a house in Poleglass, on Wednesday and left several devices at locations across the city, including the Whiterock, New Lodge and Ormeau Road areas.

Although the PSNI said that four of the devices were hoaxes, AAD said at least two had exploded. The group said it will continue to target drug dealers. “This is the only warning they are getting,” they said.

Urgent Appeal