Lurgan leaders fear repeat of last night's rioting

Community leaders in Lurgan are hoping last night's rioting, in which a policeman was seriously injured, will not be repeated today.

The police were attacked by rioters in the nationalist Kilwilkie area of Lurgan.

Petrol bombs, stone and bottles were thrown at the police with one officer sustaining a serious injury and six others also hurt.

In reply, the police fired one plastic bullet and made what observers called repeated charges using their armoured vehicles to try to disperse the crowd.

Sinn Fein councillor, John O'Dowd, said he had tried to maintain calm but tension had built during the day.

The UUP leader, David Trimble, accused Sinn Fein of not doing enough but Mr O'Dowd said this was a cheap shot and did not reflect the serious effort he had made to defuse the situation.

Meanwhile, the Northern Secretary, John Reid has said dissidents orchestrating the bomb alert campaign will not succeed in wrecking the Peace Process.