Returning Adair to jail 'right decision'

Security forces believe Adair helped organise recent violence

The Northern Ireland secretary has said his decision to put convicted loyalist leader Johnny Adair back in prison has been vindicated.

Peter Mandelson said the peace process could have been derailed if a feud between loyalist paramilitaries the Ulster Defence Association/Ulster Freedom Fighters (UDA/UFF) and the rival Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) in west Belfast had spread to Catholic areas.

Free since September last year under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, Adair's licence was revoked when Mr Mandelson said he had evidence of the leading loyalist's involvement in heightening tensions in the feud.

Three people were shot dead as the feud escalated on the Shankill Road in west Belfast and north Belfast this week.

Jackie Coulter, shot dead on Monday while he sat in a jeep outside a bookmakers shop on the Crumin Road in Belfast with another man Bobby Mahood who was also killed, was a member of the UDA.

The UDA/UFF was blamed for murdering Sam Rocket, shot in front of his baby daughter and girlfriend at a house off the Crumlin Road on Wednesday night. He was linked with the UVF.

Mr Mandelson said the arrest of Adair on Tuesday night was the right decision.

'New opportunity'

"In calling back Johnny Adair I think that has provided a discouragement to others to behaving similarly and certainly if we hadn't called him back to prison I think the situation would have been very much worse, certainly by this weekend," he said.

"I think also, it has showed the limit of his base."

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Mandelson also said the arrest of Adair gave a new opportunity to loyalist politicians.

Peter Mandelson: Appeal to loyalist politicians

"What I think his removal does is clear the way for the differences between the different loyalist organisations to be settled peacefully.

"It is very important that loyalism - which has an important and legitimate role to play in Northern Ireland - is reintegrated properly into the political process."

He acknowledged the situation in the Shankill area was "tense" but said: "We end the week better than we began it and certainly much better than I and others feared."

Mr Mandelson also defended the early release of prisoners under the agreement.

He said only a small number of prisoners had reoffended and added: "Overwhelmingly the early-release prisoners support the peace process, they return to the community and they do not reoffend."

A close associate of Adair, Ulster Democratic Party chairman, John White said after the arrest, that the convicted UFF leader intended to seek a judicial review of Mr Mandelson's decision to put him back in prison.

Report on Adair

The decision to return Adair to prison was based on intelligence information connecting him to a catalogue of crimes.

The BBC obtained details of a confidential report linking Adair to paramilitary activity, sectarian violence and a major drugs operation.

Who are the UDA/UFF?

The Ulster Defence Association and Ulster Freedom Fighters make up the largest loyalist paramilitary group in NI. It called a ceasefire in 1994, but recently threatened to break it by shooting Catholics. It is linked politically to the Ulster Democratic Party.

According to BBC sources, Mr Mandelson was given "high-grade" intelligence reports detailing Adair's activities since he was released from prison.

The assessment details his links with the splinter paramilitary group, the Loyalist Volunteer Force, and his alleged involvement in the swapping of guns.

He was linked to several paramillitary shows-of-strength on the Protestant Shankill Road, in west Belfast, and to vigilante patrols in the same area.

The assessment also blamed the Shankill loyalist for stirring up sectarian tensions in interface areas of north and west Belfast and of encouraging attacks.

The report also linked him to a drugs empire involving vast amounts of money.

Mr Mandelson has made clear that Adair will not be released in the immediate or early future.

He is currently being held in Maghaberry prison.

Adair was convicted of directing terrorism and served five years of a 16-year sentence before his early release from the Maze Prison.

If he does not apply for a judicial review, he could instead apply to the Sentence Review Commission to be released.

If he remains in jail after going before the commission, his estimated release date would be May 2002.