Two loyalist paramilitary groups banned

Two loyalist paramilitary organisations responsible for a number of attacks in recent months, including two murders, were banned from midnight last night by the Northern Secretary.

The Red Hand Defenders and the Orange Volunteers were outlawed at Dr Mo Mowlam's direction. The Northern Secretary also announced that she has accepted the INLA's six-month ceasefire as complete and unequivocal.

INLA prisoners will now be entitled to early release under the Belfast Agreement.

The Red Hand Defenders and the Orange Volunteers are now specified under the Northern Ireland Sentencing Act which means their prisoners cannot be eligible for early release.

The organisations have been responsible for a series of attacks in recent months. There is understood to be an overlap between the groups, which came to prominence in the past six months.

The Red Hand Defenders admitted responsibility for the murder of a north Belfast Catholic, Mr Brian Service, at the end of October. It was also blamed for the murder of a Catholic RUC officer, Constable Frankie O'Reilly, in Portadown. Dr Mowlam's order relating to the INLA means its 24 prisoners in the Maze will now fall under the Belfast Agreement early-release scheme.

The Irish Republican Socialist Party, the political wing of the INLA, welcomed the "belated recognition" of its ceasefire announced in August. It affirmed its commitment to the establishment "of a 32-county socialist republic as the only form of governance that can guarantee equality and freedom for all.

"The IRSP is fully committed to exposing the Good Friday agreement as a fraud."