20/03/2007

Petrol bombs thrown at police in Crossmaglen

Police guarding the site in south Armagh where a military helicopter crashed on Sunday have come under attack last night.

Stones, bottles and up to 30 petrol bombs were thrown at police in Crossmaglen, south Armagh by a gang of youths.

A total of six people were injured including two airmen and four police officers after the Lynx helicopter went down in field close to Lismore housing estate and the grounds of the Crossmaglen Rangers Gaelic Athletic Association club on Sunday evening.

Police revealed a group of local representatives had helped calm the situation yesterday evening, but the gangs later resumed the attacks.

Sinn Fein MP for Newry and Armagh Conor Murphy said he believes a “sinister element” was behind the attack on the police officers.

“If I think that there is any information from the people who caused damage to the community last night it should be passed on to the police, because those people who came later on and attacked only succeeded in harming their own community,” he told reporters.

Two police vehicles were damaged during the attacks, however there were no reported injuries.

Hostile crowds also attacked an ambulance taking one of the casualties from the crash site on Sunday. The group of youths ambushed the vehicle as it drove towards the Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry.

An air accident investigation will now be carried out to establish the cause of the accident.

(JM/SP)

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