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Lurgan’s troubled weekend: Hijacked vehicles, sinister threats and gunmen in masks...
Monday, 21 September 2009
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Trouble flared for a third night in Co Armagh as dissident republicans staged violent opposition to the jailing of three men.
Over the weekend a total of 10 vehicles were hijacked — nine of which were set alight — as gangs of armed and masked men attempted to lure police into nationalist estates in Lurgan and Craigavon.
In the latest sporadic trouble on Saturday up to six masked men forced a man out of his car at the Drumbeg roundabout, Craigavon at about 9.40pm. Police said one of the men was reported to have been carrying a gun while another had a knife. Twenty minutes later in Lurgan a mother and son were subjected to a terrifying ordeal when dissidents told them they would become human bombs.
Two masked men, one of whom was carrying a handgun, stopped the pair in a horse lorry and claimed they had attached a device to the vehicle. They ordered the woman to take it to a nearby police station.
On examination by PSNI officers nothing untoward was found.
Disturbances first broke out on Thursday evening, hours after suspected Continuity IRA members Damien McKenna, Gary Toman and Sean McConville were sentenced for up to 15 years each for plotting to kill police officers using a mortar bomb.
A number of cars were hijacked and placed over railway lines at Lake Street on the edge of the Kilwilkie estate and at nearby Drumbeg an articulated lorry driver narrowly escaped injury when his truck was torched.
The violence spilled over into Friday with several more cars hijacked and burnt on the Lake Street railway crossing.
Police were also forced to step up patrols and increase the number of checkpoints in parts of Northern Ireland in a bid to disrupt dissident activity.
Following the discovery of a bomb at Forkhill in south Armagh security sources said the threat from dissidents is higher than at any time in the past five years.
It is feared dissidents will attempt to stage an attack to mark the arrival of Chief Constable Matt Baggott, who starts tomorrow.
HOW EVENTS UNFOLDED
Thursday
12pm Three Lurgan men involved in a dissident republican plot to kill police officers with a mortar bomb were each jailed for 15 years.
6pm Trouble flares in the Kilwilkie, Drumbeg and Meadowbank estates. Five vehicles are hijacked and set alight. Two were placed on railway lines causing disruption to train services. Also reports of masked gunmen in the area.
Friday
Police investigating the disturbances find a replica firearm in the Kilwilkie area.
6.30pm Rioters take to the streets for a second night in a row. Two vehicles are hijacked. One is placed on railway tracks near Lake Street and set alight causing disruption to rail services.
7.30pm Police launch Operation Dissent — targeting dissident republican activity.
Saturday
Morning Police patrols and checkpoints are mounted province-wide. Violence erupts in Lurgan and Craigavon.
9.40pm In Craigavon up to six masked men forced a man out of his car at the Drumbeg roundabout before stealing it. 10pm In Lurgan hijackers told a woman they placed a device on her lorry and forced her to drive to a police station. Upon examination by police nothing was found.
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All I can say is bring the army in. Sort all the scum out, on all sides.
oh, and stop their dole just to add insult to injury. But I suppose we had better block them in so they can't go about stealing from decent folk... Thats it, just build a big wall and let them rot.
Posted by p | 23.09.09, 10:27 GMT
Saighdúirí "When people in the South see this, all they think is "thank God we don't have to deal with that". Down here NI has a reputation of being something of a war zone, things like this only add fuel the fire. Such behaviour is literally destroying hope for a United Ireland, not helping it."
That's a genuinely interesting viewpoint. I have no desire for a UI, so should I be pleased that this turn of events has such an adverse effect on Southerners?
Posted by Mc | 22.09.09, 17:00 GMT
Chris M, you're a clown!!!
Robbo, the reason the cops won't go in with water cannons and plastic bullets etc, is because thats what they want, they have scum with guns waiting for the police so they can shoot at them etc. The police won't go in to the kilwilkie estate and they are right not to.
If these mindless idiots want to destroy their own estates the police can't be held responsible, the locals need to do something to let them know they are not wanted.
The main people being affected by these low lifes is their local catholic neighbours.
Posted by Shane | 22.09.09, 12:01 GMT
No country can afford to capitulate to anarchists. Regrettably, the suits at Stormont are too busy watching their own backs, rather than giving governance. The signs have been in evidence long before Lurgan, e.g. Coleraine, Rasharkin and Ballymena.
I will believe in UDA De-Commissioning when it has been completed. This should have been put to bed long ago. Problem is that both sets of Anarchists will simply re-arm under another guise.
I know that the majority of people talk a good talk about peace but how many are actually prepared to be of more assistance to the PSNI in their endeavours to root out the true villains.
Posted by HC | 22.09.09, 11:48 GMT
In the South this is being reported as typical Northern behaviour, one side getting annoyed and deciding to torch everything.
As I've been in NI a number of times, I know this is a crass stereotype, the vast majority of all Northerners are decent, friendly, hard working people.
However, this is a disaster for the perception of your region around the world. When people in the South see this, all they think is "thank God we don't have to deal with that". Down here NI has a reputation of being something of a war zone, things like this only add fuel the fire. Such behaviour is literally destroying hope for a United Ireland, not helping it.
As for continental Europe and further afield, this hatred is killing any good news NI may produce. Bad news always gets the headlines, unfortunately. Let's hope the authorities take Hugh Orde's advice on board and start actually building a true integrated society, not just talking about it.
Posted by Saighdúirí | 22.09.09, 10:37 GMT
On the one hand, I dont think outsiders should run lands other than their own. On the other hand when I see the sad blood soaked state so many former colonies in Africa which have descended to since the Europeans (kudos to Portugal for staying as long as they did!) packed up and left I feel sad for the millions of human beings slaughtered for no good reason.
If misguided members of the NI Catholic community still seek deliverence in chaos I must say; Brits please stay if for no other reason than to keep order, in effect save them - from themselves!
Posted by Chris M | 22.09.09, 02:54 GMT
After the first night of disturbances, why weren't the water cannons, tasers, plastic bullets introduced?
We know the answer is that there are too many do gooders, humanists, liberals and followers of such violence that there would have been hell to pay for security staff. Unfortunately too many people still do not give full support to law and order.
Posted by robbo | 21.09.09, 21:25 GMT
Pure and simple scum, wrecking what everyone else in NI wants a peaceful, progressive society where everyone is tolerated / welcome regardless of their race, religion or political views. Agree with man dingo - re-route the railway line.
For any overseas readers pls dont believe this is normal for rest of NI - its just a couple of mindless thugs on some very small isolated estates.
Posted by unreal | 21.09.09, 20:03 GMT
This is so sad and scary...I will pray that peace returns
Posted by Sarah | 21.09.09, 19:41 GMT
Is there no chance that the railway line could be routed away from this mad place? They could still leave them a pretend piece of track on which to burn cars etc.
Posted by man dingo | 21.09.09, 18:40 GMT
unfortunately, this pack of vermin have destroyed a significant amount of crucial PR work carried out over the last decade, by hard working decent people......... very very sad, particularly when its done by a small group of useless layabouts who literally have no regard for themselves, let alone anyone else in their community............
sadly, the outside perception of NI at the moment is EXTREMELY worrying........
Posted by depressed | 21.09.09, 17:06 GMT
I don't live too far away from where these incidents took place. I feel very relieved that I was away from Thursday night until yesterday. I feel very saddened by all this carry on. It gets no one anywhere. I agree with those previous comments - take away all their benefits and MAKE them get jobs! I'm sure most of these attacks were carried out by teens but mostly organised by older members - to you I say you should be ashamed of yourselves - its time to move on and look to the future not to the past and these people seem to be just hell bent on taking us back - NO ONE WANTS THIS AND YOU WONT WIN
Posted by Noelene | 21.09.09, 16:36 GMT
The reason why NI car insurance is so high.
Posted by Andrew | 21.09.09, 13:20 GMT
what do these people want if you are caught doing a crime and that means anyone from any religion you should get jailed its called law, the people down south are looking at this which is why they are content for northerners to stay were they are, these people are hoods hand them in
Posted by william | 21.09.09, 08:59 GMT
I have said it before, take away their dole money. They will then have to work or starve to death. Given that most people don't care for the latter they will have to move to England or Scotland for work where they will have to integrate into society there.
The hated British taxpayer bankrolls these wasters' lives - houses, feeds and all too often fails to educate them. When they have lived 25 years of a boozed up fag ash lifestyle the British NHS forks out again.
Posted by Stephen Millar | 21.09.09, 08:41 GMT