THE murder of the "Shankill Butcher" Robert Bates (48) is believed to have been a revenge killing carried out by a loyalist.
The Shankill Butchers terrorised Belfast in the mid 1970s, torturing and killing Catholics and Protestants. The man who shot Bates three times in the back of the head yesterday morning is thought to have been avenging a Protestant victim and to have acted without the approval of any loyalist paramilitary organisation.
There was a general sense of relief in Northern Ireland over reports that the murder was not. as initially feared. the work of republicans.
The Irish National Liberation Army was the first to be blamed but, around lunchtime, a statement issued on its behalf denied involvement. "If and when we commit an action we will have no hesitation in making this known," the statement said.
This immediately gave rise to fears that the Provisional IRA had been responsible for what loyalist sources believed was "a massive upping of the ante".
It is understood the leaderships of the Ulster Volunteer Force. Ulster Defence Association and Red Hand Commando held separate meetings yesterday to assess the impact of the killing. "Things were not looking good." loyalist sources said.
At one stage it almost seemed the decks were being cleared for full scale warfare between republicans and loyalists. Then it began to be reported that the killing had probably been carried out by a loyalist.
Bates, a father of two, was jailed for life in February 1979 after admitting his part in 10 murders. He was freed from prison last October but his association with a gang who mutilated and killed their victims with knives. meat cleavers, hatchets, guns and bombs had not been forgotten.
While in prison he had become a "bornagain" Christian who argued against violence. Since his release he had worked to help other loyalist prisoners, and the shooting took place as he arrived at a prisoners' drop in centre on the Wood vale Road in the Shankill area shortly before 9 a.m.
The attacker ran up behind him, opened fire and then escaped across a nearby park. Police believe he acted with an accomplice.
An RUC spokesman said: "While we are keeping an open mind and stress we are at a very early stage in the investigation, our inquiries so far do not suggest republican involvement in this brutal murder."
The Northern Ireland Security Minister, Mr Adam Ingram, said in a statement: "I condemn unreservedly this brutal killing. There is no place in our society for callous murder like this. No cause is defended or supported by violence."
The leader of the loyalist Ulster Democratic Party. Mr Gary McMichael. said: "If republicans are not responsible for this - and we are still working on a hypothetical situation - then I would hope the threat of a return to violence will be reduced."