Train services between Dublin and Belfast have been disrupted following disturbances in Lurgan and Craigavon last night.
Police said that a number of vehicles had been hijacked and attempts were made by masked youths to set them on fire on the Dublin-Belfast railway line.
Motorists and pedestrians were warned by police to keep out of the Lake Street area and Northern Ireland Railways stopped Belfast to Dublin trains because of what it called “civil disturbances”.
Police said they had received reports of armed and masked men on the streets.
The trouble in the town followed violence which started on Thursday night after the jailing of three local dissident republicans for plotting to kill police officers.
During the first night of trouble more than five vehicles were hijacked and set on fire and police said they received numerous reports of armed men on the streets in what they said was clearly pre-planned and orchestrated violence.
The violence follows the sentencing of three men who were jailed for 15 years for possession of a live mortar bomb, complete with launching tube, which was found near the Cornakinnegar Road on April 5th, 2007.
Damien McKenna (26), of Deans Walk; Gary Toman (24), of Drumnahoe Avenue and Seán McConville (23), of Kilwilkie Road, all in Lurgan, pleaded guilty. Police said they believed the men were members of the Continuity IRA.
Condemning the violent reaction to the jailings, Chief Inspector Jason Murphy said earlier today: “Let’s be clear where the blame lies here. It lies with those who took to the streets, hijacked cars and helped orchestrate this violence, causing nothing but fear and disruption within their own community.
“This was obviously an attempt to draw my officers into the situation to escalate the violence and to cause serious disruption or injury.”
Meanwhile a tractor was used to ram the front wall of an Orange Hall in Rasharkin, Co Antrim.
Police said the large boundary wall was knocked over and damage was caused to the front door.
A spokeswoman said: “Police believe there was a larger than usual number of people in the area during the early hours of this morning and officers are keen to speak to anyone who noticed this damage being caused, or any other suspicious activity.”