RESIDENTS in the nationalist Ligoniel area of north Belfast last night said they were in danger of attack after loyalists blocked access roads and cut telephone lines.
The residents described the actions as "sinister in the extreme" and said that they could be part of a planned paramilitary onslaught on their area.
About 1,500 people live in Ligoniel, an isolated Catholic district surrounded by Protestant estates. The trouble started on Monday night when loyalists poured petrol down a telephone junction box on Ligoniel Road, burning the cables.
A bus was burnt and placed across the bottom of Ligoniel Road. A few yards up the road, trees were felled and placed across the road to block access.
The other access road to Ligoniel which leads to Belfast International Airport was blocked by telegraph polls which had also been cut down. Street lights in the area were chainsawed and placed across streets early yesterday.
Residents have cleared the roads but telephone lines had still not been restored last night. "The only phones working in the whole area are in the chemist's and the community centre. The lines everywhere else are still cut off," said one man.
Residents who spoke to The Irish Times asked not to be named as they were fearful for their lives. They believed a loyalist attack on their homes could be imminent.
"The loyalists hemmed us in completely," said another man. "The roads are cleared but the loyalists could easily block them again. If the street lights were off, they could come in under the cover of darkness and do whatever they want.
"They could murder us in our beds and we wouldn't be able to do a thing. No-one could get in to help us." The man said food delivery vans had been unable to reach two local shops. "We haven't any milk or bread. It's terrible for families with young children."
A woman said residents were being extra vigilant. Dozens of Catholics in Ligoniel had been killed during the Troubles and "we don't want any more dead people up here", she said.
SDLP councillor, Mr Martin Morgan, cut short his holiday and returned to Belfast when he heard about the trouble. "It is very distressing that residents are being held under siege by loyalist gangs, he said.
He urged unionist politicians to "show leadership and call upon these gangs to cease their frightening and intimidatory actions". The RUC must ensure that access routes to Ligoniel were kept open and that residents could leave and enter the area without the threat of violence.
Meanwhile, there were arson attacks on two Catholic schools in north Belfast. Loyalists stood on the roof of Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School in Ballysillan and poured petrol into the classrooms.
The building was badly damaged in the fire. Former SDLP councillor, Mr Brian Feeney, who is on the Board of Governors said it was the 21st attack on the school.
St Mary's primary school on the Shore Road was also damaged in an arson attack. Four classrooms and an office were destroyed in the blaze. Staff were too upset to talk about the incident yesterday.