Loyalist violence threat to peace

Hopes are fading that sectarian violence is coming to an end

By BBC NI chief security correspondent Brian Rowan

Flanked by party colleagues Gerry Kelly and Alex Maskey, the Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams spoke of anger in the nationalist community.

The setting was a news conference on Belfast's Falls Road - the timing, some 12 hours after loyalists had murdered a young teenager - a Protestant shot on the assumption he was a Catholic.

Gerry Adams wants the government and the police to state publicly that the UDA-UFF ceasefire is over and another political party, the SDLP, has met the chief constable to hear his assessment.

The UDA is Northern Ireland's largest Protestant paramilitary organisation.

So does Sir Ronnie Flanagan believe that ceasefire has been reduced to a farce?

Increasing violence

His assessment is that members of the loyalist terrorist organisation are becoming increasingly involved in violence.

He links the group to a recent gun attack on a community centre in nationalist north Belfast, to a number of the recent pipe bomb incidents, and he has not ruled out the possibility of UDA-UFF involvement in the latest murder.

Sir Ronnie Flanagan: "UDA has been directing violence"

That killing was admitted in the name of the Red Hand Defenders - a title which has been used by the UDA-UFF and a splinter faction, the LVF, to try to hide their involvement in recent violence.

On Tuesday, the Northern Ireland secretary met the chief constable and other security advisers to discuss the escalating attacks.

Even before that meeting, Dr John Reid was aware that loyalists were drifting away from the Good Friday Agreement, and moving away from the ceasefires they claim to be observing.

Dr Reid emerged to say he is to review the status of the UDA ceasefire, in light of recent sectarian attacks, and this week's murder of a Protestant teenager.

The secretary of state said he had been presented with evidence that members of the loyalist paramilitary group were involved in the recent violence.

Inner council sanction

The UDA-UFF is controlled by a six-man so-called 'Inner Council'.

John Reid met security advisers on Tuesday

Those who make up that leadership call themselves 'brigadiers' and at least three of the six are believed to be sanctioning attacks.

The 'Inner Council' has publicly withdrawn its support for the Good Friday Agreement, but in a statement within the past fortnight claimed its ceasefire was intact. Few if any believe that statement.

The complaint from loyalists has been about a one-sided peace process and about too many concessions to nationalists.

"There can be no more concessions to nationalism while the fabric of our loyalist community is torn asunder," a recent UDA-UFF statement read.

Angry words have been followed by violent actions.

Tense climate

Gerry Adams has said he would meet the UDA leadership. They are unlikely to accept his offer and unlikely to heed his appeals for an end to the violence.

David Ervine: "Hatred is driving the violence"

The question is: Can anyone else get through?

In a climate of increasing tension there is little hope.

And not just republicans and nationalists have been angered by the escalating attacks.

David Ervine, an assembly member for the party allied to the other main loyalist group - the UVF - described the violence as "despicable":

Mr Ervine of the Progressive Unionist Party told me: "This is not about the territorial integrity of Northern Ireland, it's about hating Catholics.

"It's not only about attacking the Catholic community, it's about individuals trying to achieve control within the loyalist community."

There is a view that those individuals want to shatter the fragile peace that has grown out of the ceasefires and the Good Friday Agreement.