Two leading loyalists who have had talks with the Taoiseach and President Mary McAleese's husband were among 17 people arrested in a police raid in Belfast last night.
Armed police using CS gas stormed the Alexander Bar in Tigers Bay, north Belfast, where it is understood the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) was rehearsing for a so-called show of strength. It is understood an event was being planned for some time this weekend.
South Belfast UDA leader Jackie McDonald and Ihab Shoukri, brother of north Belfast UDA leader Andre, were among those detained for questioning over what the PSNI say is an investigation into serious crime.
The UDA are involved in drug dealing, money laundering, racketeering and intimidation. A bitter internal feud has led to a number of murders in recent years.
The 17 men were arrested during the raid at around 8pm when CS gas capsules were fired and doors were smashed open.
McDonald and Shoukri were part of an Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG) delegation that held talks with Bertie Ahern in 2004.
Mr Martin McAleese has met the pair on a number of occasions - the most recent of which was last month - in an attempt to get the UDA declare and end to paramilitary activity.
He also played a round of golf with McDonald at the exclusive K Club, Co Kildare, and Mrs McAleese embraced him during a visit to south Belfast last year.
Though considered well-intentioned, the meetings have been met with muted criticism in nationalist circles.
Today, DUP MLA Ian Paisley jnr questioned the wisdom of Mrs McAleese meeting with "people whose backgrounds can only be described as extremely dubious".