Trimble discusses jail dispute

David Trimble attended the meeting at a north Belfast community centre

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has been asked to act as an intermediary in the current dispute at a County Antrim prison.

Mr Trimble attended a meeting to discuss the situation at Maghaberry Prison on Friday, addressed by loyalist prisoners from both the Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Volunteer Force.

The talks at a community centre in north Belfast were held under the auspices of the Loyalist Commission.

The organisation was set up to provide political analysis for the loyalist paramilitary groups and includes unionist and loyalist politicians and members of the Protestant clergy.

Police said the UDA was behind a series of security alerts which brought parts of Belfast to a standstill last week.

The UDA said it was in response to the situation at the jail near Lisburn, where loyalist prisoners were behind serious disturbances.

A prison office was burned out during the trouble earlier this month

In an incident last week, 35 loyalist prisoners barricaded themselves inside a wing of the prison, where loyalist and republican inmates have already been separated on a temporary basis.

Speaking after Friday's meeting, Mr Trimble said he would seek a meeting with Secretary of State Paul Murphy.

He added that he would consider visiting the jail to "get a better impression of the situation".

Mr Trimble said the loyalist representatives had condemned the attacks and threats against prison officers.

He said they were keen to resolve the dispute without further violence, and had raised issues which needed to be followed.

The meeting was also attended by leading churchmen, including Presbyterian Moderator Dr Ivan McKay, who described the meeting as "profitable".

Frankie Gallagher of the Prisoners Aid Networking Group said afterwards that the industrial dispute between prison officers and the government was a major factor.

"It is them that the problems in the prisons lie with - it is not the prisoners, " he said.

"The prisoners are not in control - they have no power."

More talks with Assembly members and churchmen are planned for the coming days.

Frankie Gallagher laid blame on the prison officers' industrial dispute

On Thursday, Security Minister Jane Kennedy said the UDA could not seriously be considered to be on ceasefire.

Speaking after a meeting with the Ulster Political Research Group, which speaks on behalf of the UDA, she blamed the organisation for recent hoax bombs across Belfast and attacks on prison officers' homes.

A UK-wide strike by prison officers was averted earlier this month, following talks between the government and the Prison Officers' Association.

The strike threat was over the level of security measures being provided at prison officers' homes in Northern Ireland.

It followed attacks on a number of homes of serving and former prison officers, linked to a prisoners' dispute at Maghaberry Prison.

Last September, a review of safety at Maghaberry recommended separating republican and loyalist prisoners.

The move was introduced in the wake of violent clashes between rival groups in the jail and in the face of a "dirty protest" by a group of dissident republican prisoners.

As well as paramilitary prisoners, Maghaberry houses male and female prisoners, whether they are convicted or on remand, and a number of asylum seekers.