Paramilitary elements could be planning to provoke violence in Northern Ireland when Orangemen stage a protest demonstration at Drumcree on Sunday, it was claimed today.
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Orangemen at Drumcree last year
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Security chiefs said today they were optimistic, at this stage, that any potential trouble will be restricted.
But RUC Assistant Chief Constable Steven White, who is responsible for policing Drumcree, admitted: "We are preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best."
"It will only take one spark to ignite or inflame the situation."
Up to 1,600 additional troops are in place as preparations were finalised for Sunday's march in Portadown, Co Armagh, where Orangemen will be prevented from marching on the nationalist Garvaghy Road.
RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan today maintained that violence was not inevitable. He echoed a plea issued by Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid to all sides at Drumcree to minimise violence.
Elsewhere, senior churchmen and politicians on all sides today appealed for calm amid fears that disturbances could spread. Orange Order leaders have told the loyalist paramilitaries to stay away.
But Up to 200 supporters of the jailed loyalist paramilitary leader Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair staged a demonstration at Drumcree last night, but the level of street protests over the Garvaghy Road ban has been fairly minor.
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The Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh Dr Robin Eames condemned the appearance of the UDA supporters.
He said: "I utterly condemn any effort by anyone to turn the Orange Order protest into a show of physical strength leading to violence and call on anyone who would be trying to turn this protest into an excuse for violence not to do so."
Dr Eames said efforts must continue to bring about an honourable settlement to the dispute.
"I recognise the depth of feeling on both sides of the Garvaghy Road dispute. I have worked as hard as I can over the past year to encourage a settlement that will be agreeable to all sides.
"The fact that at the moment the situation seems to have reached, as a result of the determination, a full stop doesn't mean that we stop efforts in the coming months."
He called for both sides to engage in a wider forum to analyse all the problems in the Portadown area.
He added: "There is an opportunity to move this problem forward and these efforts have got to continue."
PA