NI Policing Board condemns violence

The chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board has condemned last night's violence in Craigavon, Co Armagh, during which a number of shots were fired at members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Sir Desmond Rea described the gun attack on police in the Brownlow Road area of Craigavon as "a sinister development". He also criticised those behind the rioting in the Tullygally and Drumbeg areas.

"Once again the police have come under attack on a number of fronts and it is fortunate that no one has been injured during this violence," he said.

Police said four or five shots were fired at a patrol in the Brownlow Road area of Craigavon shortly before 8pm last night. The gun attack has been linked to dissident republicans.

Violence erupted yesterday morning in the Drumbeg and Tullygally areas of the town and continued throughout the day after the PSNI mounted a security operation based on a number of bomb warnings.

In addition to the shooting and blast bomb attacks, PSNI members were also pelted with petrol bombs, stones, bottles and other missiles during the disturbances yesterday.

Several cars were hijacked and torched during the rioting, while police Land Rovers also came under attack. There were no reports of serious injuries.

Deputy district commander, Superintendent Alan McCrum, said last night that the shooting took events to another level. "It is a deliberate attempt to murder my officers. However, Police will continue in their efforts to bring calm to the area despite these attacks upon them," he said.

The SDLP claimed today the growing crisis over the future of the Northern Ireland Assembly was fuelling the violence of dissident republican groups.

SDLP social development minister Margaret Ritchie warned the political deadlock was creating a dangerous vacuum and said the recent violence was a matter of grave concern.

In a separate incident last night, Policing Board member and SDLP Upper Bann Assembly Member Dolores Kelly came under attack from a gang of stone throwing youths in nearby Lurgan as she was returning to her car following a meeting with the local parish priest on graveyard vandalism,

"This was a despicable attack and it is fortunate that Dolores escaped without serious injury," said Sir Desmond Rea.

"This attack on a public representative working on behalf of the local community must be condemned in the strongest possible terms; and I would call on anyone with information on any of these incidents to provide it to the police.”