BBC News Online: UK: Northern Ireland

UFF withdraws Agreement support

However, in a statement issued on Tuesday, the largest loyalist paramilitary group said it did not intend to end its ceasefire.

The UFF called an end to its violence in 1994 following the IRA's ceasefire.

The move comes as the Progressive Unionist Party, which is linked to Northern Ireland's other main loyalist paramilitary group, the Ulster Volunteer Force, said it was considering withdrawing from the current talks process aimed at saving devolution.

"We find it intolerable that Sinn Fein have gained concession after concession yet there is still a growing erosion of our culture and our heritage.

"This has to stop. We cannot allow this to go any further. There can be no more concessions to nationalism while the fabric or our loyalist community is torn asunder."

The statement does not come as a complete surprise because cracks in the UFF ceasefire have been appearing recently.

The RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan has recently accused the UFF of being involved in pipe bomb attacks against nationalist homes and other violent incidents.

The Agreement, signed by most of Northern Ireland's political parties in 1998, is still the basis for Northern Ireland devolution.

However, the issues of the IRA's refusal to disarm, changes to policing and republicans calls for British demilitarisation in Northern Ireland have blocked its implementation.

The crisis over the Agreement came to a head on 1 July when David Trimble resigned as Northern Ireland first minister because of the lack of IRA decommissioning.