Man questioned over Loyalist killing

Detectives investigating the murder of 21-year-old loyalist Alan McCullough have arrested a man in connection with the killing…

Detectives investigating the murder of 21-year-old loyalist Alan McCullough have arrested a man in connection with the killing.

Another two men who were questioned about the murder since Friday were released earlier, a police spokesman said.

Mr McCullough's body was discovered in a shallow grave on the outskirts of Belfast last Thursday following a massive week-long police search operation.

The Ulster Defence Association-affiliated Ulster Freedom Fighters admitted murdering Mr McCullough, a leading member of jailed terror boss Johnny Adair's notorious C Company unit, because of his alleged role in the assassination of rival paramilitary chief John "Grug" Gregg.

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He had fled to Scotland in February with Adair's wife Gina, their close associate John White and other supporters after the UDA leadership drove them out of their Lower Shankill powerbase.

Mr McCullough only returned to Northern Ireland a fortnight before he disappeared after believing he had negotiated a lifting of the death threat against him.

But the UFF linked McCullough to the murders of Gregg, the UDA's South Antrim Brigadier, in February and Jonathan Stewart at Christmas.

Gregg, a bitter rival of Adair's, died in a hail of bullets near Belfast docks along with fellow UDA member Robert Carson as they returned from a Glasgow Rangers match.

Supporters of Adair have claimed Mr McCullough played no part in the murders of Stewart and Gregg.