19/10/2006

Police attacked in west Belfast

Police in west Belfast have come under attack during an operation to find an abducted man yesterday evening.

Officers were attacked with fireworks as they answered a call at around 7.30pm, claiming that a gang of masked men armed with wooden bats had called to a house in the Rockdale Street area of the city and taken a 19-year-old man away in a car in the direction of the Whiterock Road.

A man was found a short time later in the Bog Meadows area. He was taken to hospital where it was later reported that he had sustained a broken leg.

Just before 8pm, police stopped a car in the Funnel Road area of Ballymurphy and arrested one man and confiscated a wooden bat and iron bars which were found in the vehicle.

A short time later, police carried out a follow-up search in the Ballymurphy Road, where they recovered a firearm from a car.

During this, a crowd gathered and began to attack officers with fireworks.

Community representatives were brought in to try to assist police in restoring order.

Three people were arrested in connection with the attack and are currently being questioned by police.

(EF)

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