1.
GV PAN burnt out houses (2 shots)
0.08

2.
CU Smouldering ruins
0.14

3.
SV Householders salvaging effects (2 shots)
0.30

4.
GV Men boarding windows
0.34

5.
CU Blood on pavement TILT to people walking by
0.42

6.
SV Damaged bank windows
0.45

7.
GV People walking past street barricade
0.54

8.
CU Flames out of building
1.01

9.
GV Rubble in street
1.04

10.
CU Barbed wire
1.09

11.
SV People with belongings on back of truck and drive off (3 shots)
1.28

12.
GV Troop carrying vehicles
1.31

13.
SV troops carrying barbed wire coils
1.36

14.
SV Troops carrying barricades into position
1.39

15.
GV Troops in street
1.42

16.
CU Soldiers with gas masks
1.46

17.
GV Troops facing crowds behind barricades (2 shots)
1.58

18.
GV Crowd demonstrating behind barbed wire
2.03



Initials RE/V & V-TELE/AE/PC



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: BRITISH TROOPS WERE JEERED AS THEY ENTERED THE DEBRIS-STREWN BATTLEFIELD AREA OF BELFAST TODAY AFTER THE WORST NIGHT OF SECTARIAN VIOLENCE THE NORTHERN IRELAND CAPITAL HAS KNOWN FOR 10 YEARS. THEY ARE STANDING GUARD IN THE CATHOLIC SECTOR TO WARD OFF FRESH INVASION FROM THE PARALLEL PROTESTANT SHANKILL ROAD. FIVE PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY DIED IN THE FIGHTING AND MORE THAN 150 POLICE AND CIVILIANS WOUNDED - 54 BY GUNFIRE.

MAJOR JAMES CHICHESTER-CLARK, NORTHERN IRELAND PRIME MINISTER TODAY (FRIDAY) SPOKE OF AN ARMED CONSPIRACY AGAINST HIS COUNTRY. HE SAID THE BRITISH PROVINCE FACED THE "MOST SERIOUS AND MALEVOLENT THREAT IN ITS HISTORY". HE BLAMED "SUBVERSIVE REPUBLICAN ELEMENTS" FOR LAST NIGHT BLOODY FIGHTING.

HE SAID POLICE WERE FORCED TO RETURN THE FIRE DIRECTED AT THEM.

A BRITISH GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TROOPS WERE ORDERED IN "TO RESTORE LAW AND ORDER " NOT TO "MANTAIN IT". MANY OBSERVERS HOWEVER, FELT THE TROOPS WOULD BE HOLDING THE TWO OPPOSITE FACTIONS APART FOR SOME TIME.

LAST NIGHT'S VIOLENT DISORDERS WERE PART TRACED TO THE HOUR WHEN THE CITY'S TAVERNS CLOSED. TEMPERS FLARED AND MOBS WENT ON THE RAMPAGE. TWO TAVERNS WERE TURNED INTO BONFIRES THEN PETROL BOMBS FLEW AND MACHINE GUN FIRE CRACKLED IN BURSTS APPARENTLY DIRECTED AT POLICE IN THE SMOKE-FILLED CHAOTIC STREETS.

THEN CAME RIFLE FIRE FROM SNIPERS PERCHED AT HIGH WINDOWS AND ON ROOFTOPS. FIGHTING WAS SO FIERCE IN BELFAST IN SOME STREETS THAT NO ONE WAS IN A POSITION TO FIND OUT IMMEDIATELY HOW MANY WERE FELLED BY BULLETS. REPORTS FILTERING IN WERE CONFLICTING THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.

FROM HOUSES GUTTED BY FIRES IN THE OVERNIGHT FIGHTING FAMILIES FERRETED FOR PRECIOUS POSSESSIONS. WHILE OTHERS STACKED SALVAGED FURNITURE IN THE STREETS.

THE SOLDIERS ARE POSITIONED ALONG THE FALLS ROAD AREA, THE DEMONSTRATION LINE FOR THE CATHOLIC GHETTO AND HERE THERE IS RELATING CALM APART FROM THE ROAR OF FLAMES FORM HOMES, PUBLIC HOUSES AND FACTORIES ALIGHT.

BUT BITTER FIGHTING HAS BEEN RENEWED IN THE BORDERLINE DISTRICTS. CASUALTIES ARE MOUNTING.

ON BOTH SIDES MORE AND MORE BARRICADES ARE BEING BUILT AND BEHIND THEM PETROL BOMB PRODUCTION IS BEING STEPPED UP. CITY BUS SERVICES HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED AFTER SEVERAL HAD BEEN STOLEN. OVERTURNED OR SET ALIGHT. GANGS ARE ROAMING THE STREET LOOTING WRECKED AND BURNT OUT BUILDINGS.