The North's First Minister, Mr David Trimble, has said the Protestant community must put pressure on loyalist paramilitaries to end their violence.
At Stormont yesterday, he said the situation was degenerating in loyalist areas. Quoting statistics released by the Police Authority, he said there had been a 25 per cent rise in paramilitary attacks between 1997/1998 and 1998/1999.
This showed there was no room for complacency in the unionist community about paramilitary activity and he hoped nationalists would also bring pressure to bear on republican paramilitaries.
However, Mr Trimble's comments have been severely criticised by the DUP and the fringe loyalist parties, who accused him of political opportunism.
Pointing to the increase in "punishment" attacks in loyalist areas, Mr Trimble called for "a renewed focus on the actions of loyalists against the Protestant community itself".
"It must be repudiated at every opportunity," he said. "Why are those who endlessly lecture about the need for political progress for the sake of our children not taking a stronger stand against the mutilation of children as young as 13?
"The figures speak for themselves. Not only have loyalists engaged in murder since the Belfast Agreement - no fewer than nine murders - but there have been 76 loyalist shootings, 178 loyalist beatings and almost 400 cases of people exiled from Northern Ireland. Hundreds more have had to be rehoused due to intimidation."
Paramilitary structures must be dismantled "if we are not to see the institutionalisation of a mafia state," he said. "I know unionists fear this is already happening in unionist districts as much as they fear it is happening in republican districts."
He criticised the fringe loyalist parties for insisting they could not deliver unilateral decommissioning. Mr Trimble refused to discuss his Assembly party's secret weekend meeting in Glasgow.
The DUP secretary, Mr Nigel Dodds, accused Mr Trimble of double standards. The UUP leader previously had been escorted into talks at Stormont by the political representatives of the loyalist paramilitaries, he said.
Mr Billy Hutchinson of the Progressive Unionist Party, the UVF's political wing, accused Mr Trimble of being "disingenuous". "I cannot understand where he is coming from," he said. "We met last week in George Mitchell's review and I explained the position of the UVF and Red Hand Commando.
"Our meeting was positive and I went away with the understanding that he had a grasp of their position. At best, these comments are opportunism on his part, at worst, they are an attempt to break the PUP."
Mr David Adams of the Ulster Democratic Party, the UDA's political wing, expressed "disappointment" with Mr Trimble. "It is not within the gift of our party to deliver decommissioning. Obviously, we are working towards that goal and will continue to do that. As for violence from whatever quarter, we continually and actively condemn it."
Mr Trimble's comments were welcomed by the SDLP and Sinn Fein. Meanwhile, Mr Gerry Adams has urged unionists to form an executive immediately with his party. The Sinn Fein president will meet Mr Trimble for talks on Friday.