Police have warned a number of loyalists across Belfast and east Antrim of death threats against them by republicans.
Loyalist politicians were yesterday critical of the RUC's refusal to disclose whether the threats stemmed from dissident or mainstream republicans. Mr David Ervine of the Progressive Unionist Party, who has links to the Ulster Volunteer Force, claimed a number of homes had been visited on Thursday night by the RUC in his east Belfast constituency.
"Not only do the police seem to be taking it seriously because they contacted people, I think those contacted are certainly taking it seriously. More significantly so because the police were not prepared to be definitive about which element of republicanism may be responsible," he added. The leader of the Ulster Democratic Party, the political wing of the Ulster Defence Association, Mr Gary McMichael, called on the Sinn Fein Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness, to clarify whether the Provisional IRA was targeting Protestants. "I am aware of cases in the past where the police have categorised such threats as coming from a dissident republican origin. The fact that they have not done so on this occasion suggests the Provisional IRA may be responsible, which causes me a great deal of concern," he said. Mr McMichael alleged that among those warned were the prominent loyalist prisoner, Johnny Adair.
Responding to Mr McMichael's call for clarification, a Sinn Fein MLA, Mr Gerry Kelly, insisted the Provisional IRA was maintaining its ceasefire.