UFF lifts ceasefire threat

UFF had threatened to end ceasefire on Tuesday

The Ulster Freedom Fighters, the largest loyalist paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland, has suspended its threat to call off its ceasefire.

The statement followed an appeal from the Ulster Democratic Party, which has links to the UFF, not to break its truce.

On Tuesday, the UFF threatened to shoot any person seen attacking Protestant homes in north and west Belfast.

But the north Belfast Sinn Fein MLA Alex Maskey called on the UFF to completely remove the threat. He said it should never have been there in the first place.

"This threat is not lifted. It it only suspended, in the words of the UFF", he said.

The new statement from the terror group read: "In response to an appeal from the Ulster Democratic Party, and in recognition of the potential for dialogue at community level, the UFF leadership suspends its decision of 20 June.

Attacks on Protestant homes cannot be tolerated but we affirm our desire to have this problem resolved peacefully

Ulster Freedom Fighters

"We state clearly that attacks on Protestant homes cannot be tolerated but we affirm our desire to have this problem resolved peacefully.

"The onus is now on community leaders to engage seriously and find a resolution to the issue."

John White: "This is a positive statement"

Speaking after the announcement, UDP chairman John White said: "This is a positive statement. It gives us an opportunity to resolve this issue peacefully.

"We will now try to organise a series of meetings as soon as possible. At the same time I would appeal to the UFF leadership to withdraw its threat completely."

The Progressive Unionist Party's David Ervine said he hoped the UFF move would help defuse tensions between Catholics and Protestants living in Belfast's flashpoint areas.

The PUP has links to the other mainstream loyalist paramilitary group on ceasefire, the Ulster Volunteer Force.

He said: "Wisdom has prevailed. It seems other people who did not issue such threats have concentrated minds and moved them towards the only rational outcome other than what was suggested."

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly claimed the suspension of the UFF's threat to break its ceasefire proved that it "should never have been made".

Alex Attwood: "Statement is progress"

He said: "Its withdrawal is a tacit acknowledgement by the UFF that they were wrong.

"Despite this apparent public withdrawal of the threat to kill Catholics, I would urge everyone to remain vigilant."

Mr Kelly expressed concern about plans for an Orange parade through the Springfield Road in the west of the city on Saturday.

A delegation from the party is due to meet the Northern Ireland Parades Commission about the march on Friday.

The Social Democratic and Labour Party's Alex Attwood said the loyalist paramilitary group's statement was "progress" but called on the UFF to go further.

He said: "It also requires evidence of the UFF's intentions by reducing the tension at interfaces, by placing some distance between the UFF and Orange Order parades that might arrive in the coming weeks and by demonstrating a total respect for a community that will not tolerate a return to violence."