LOYALIST prisoners remained in control of two Maze Prison H-blocks last night after a day of protests over new security measures introduced in the wake of an IRA escape attempt.
Prison authorities appeared to have ruled out the use of force to end the siege, but in a statement last night the UFF said it was monitoring the situation at the prison and "a price would he paid" if force was used.
The Northern Ireland Office responded to the UFF statement later last night by saying officers were not about to "rush in with batons and shields".
Both UDA and UVF prisoners refused to co-operate with the new cell checks and head counts in the jail's three loyalist blocks yesterday morning, venting their annoyance over what they saw as undue punishment for the discovery of an IRA tunnel last month.
But only the UDA/UFF appeared to be involved in later protests in Blocks 1 and 2, which led to staff being pulled out of both areas.
A group of prisoners climbed on to roofs from the exercise yards and observation towers in each of the blocks were set on fire during the afternoon.
Domestic visits to loyalist prisoners have been cancelled and temporary release is being refused, except in "extreme compassionate circumstances". Meanwhile, associates of the Portadown loyalist Billy Wright transferred last week to H-Block 6 claimed he had joined the protest.
A prison spokesman said last night that he was not aware of specific demands being made by the protesters. They had asked to see their political representatives, he added, but this had been refused.
Mr John White, the prisons spokesman for the Ulster Democratic Party, warned that the situation could get "very seriously out of hand" if the prison authorities did not negotiate with the protesters.
The chief executive of the prison service, Mr Alan Shannon, said the new security regime was not a question of punishment hut one of control of the prison and the safety of staff. He added that the prison management was not "in a position to negotiate" over the new measures, which were the minimum necessary to secure the prison.
Meanwhile, leaving the Maze yesterday after a visit to prisoners belonging to the recently formed Loyalist Volunteer Force a spokesman for the group said.
Wright and three colleagues had joined in the "just protest" of the mainstream loyalists.
"Loyalists should not suffer for something done by republicans," he said, adding that LVF prisoners were refusing further visits until visiting rights were restored to the other protesters.
Wright and the other LVF prisoners were transferred from Maghaberry Prison last weekend to a wing of H-Block 6, the rest of which houses INLA prisoners.
The move provoked an incident in Maghaberry on Monday, in which a prison officer was held hostage for four hours by armed INLA prisoners.
The LVF spokesman, who predicted the prison issue could "spill on to the streets" in violence, also denied reports on Monday that Wright had sought a meeting with the INLA.
