THERE was confusion last night as to whether the Combined Loyalist Military Command had held a full meeting to decide its reaction to the killing of a British soldier in south Armagh.
There were reports that the UDA and UVF had held separate meetings yesterday. The leader of the Ulster Democratic Party, Mr Gary McMichael, said loyalists were evaluating the situation on an ongoing basis.
The CLMC is an umbrella organisation comprising the UVF, UDA and Red Hand Commando. Some CLMC members met informally on Thursday and it was believed that a full meeting would follow. However, loyalist political leaders said yesterday they had no knowledge that any such meeting had been held or was scheduled for the weekend.
The Progressive Unionist Party leader, Mr David Ervine, and Mr McMichael both said they would normally have received an indication of planned CLMC meetings. "I haven't received any such signals this time," said Mr McMichael.
Other loyalist sources said the CLMC was anxious not to be seen to be responding to the IRA's agenda. It is understood the CLMC feels that publicly announcing a meeting to discuss the IRA attack would make loyalists appear weak and give the impression that the Provisionals were dictating political and military developments.
Mr Ervine said the CLMC had reacted calmly to the killing of Lance-Bombardier Stephen Restorick. "They expected that the IRA would kill someone sooner or later," he said. The PUP leader added that he would he advising the paramilitaries not to return to violence.
A breach of the ceasefire would mean the expulsion of the fringe parties from negotiations and "we want to keep the door to talks open," he added.
Mr McMichael said the Provisionals appeared uninterested in a settlement in Northern Ireland. "Loyalists have no confidence in the IRA's willingness to engage in any peace process," he said. He suggested that it was time the SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, reconsidered his relationship with Sinn Fein.