Clergyman to intervene in feud

Police cordon off a murder scene in north Belfast

A clergyman who helped broker the loyalist ceasefires in Northern Ireland has said the paramilitary Loyalist Volunteer Force has asked him to intervene in its feud with another loyalist faction.

A series of attacks have been linked to a feud between the the loyalist splinter group and the larger paramilitary Ulster Voluteer Force.

The Presbyterian minister, the Reverend Roy Magee, said he hoped he could help end the fighting between the two loyalist factions.

Roy Magee helped broker loyalist ceasefires

But Mr Magee said there had been no mediation yet.

Speaking on Thursday, he said: "A door is open and I think it is vital that both parties walk through that door to seek an agreement which will enable them to live together, making room for each other."

Mr Magee helped broker the ceasefire by loyalist paramilitary groups in 1994.

Thursday's announcement comes after a series of attacks, several of which took place during May.

Martin Taylor was murdered in north Belfast on 26 May.

The 35-year-old man was shot dead when a gunman opened fire indiscriminately as he and a friend repaired a wall outside a house in the loyalist Ballysillan area.

At the time, police said they believed Mr Taylor could have been a victim of a feud between the UVF and a rival loyalist terrorist group.

However,the break-away paramilitary group the LVF denied involvement in the murder of Mr Taylor.

The UVF are feuding with other loyalists

The denial came amidst fears of an escalating feud between the LVF and the UVF in Northern Ireland.

Loyalist political representatives have clashed over which loyalist paramilitary groups are involved in the feud.

In May, John White of the Ulster Democratic Party, which has links with the UDA and UFF, suggested that a mediator could be called in to try to end the feuding.

He said he was "deeply concerned" at "Protestants killing Protestants".

He suggested that Mr Magee could play a constructive role.

At that time, Mr Magee said he would react positively if asked to intervene because he knew the "mindset of loyalist paramilitaries".

However, he urged the feuding factions to stop before the situation escalated.

In January, the LVF was blamed for the murder of prominent loyalist Richard Jameson, who was shot dead outside his home in Portadown, County Down.