Johnny Adair is back in Maghaberry jail following a decision by the Northern Secretary to revoke the licence which guaranteed his freedom.
Mr Paul Murphy, acting on PSNI intelligence reports, signed the order yesterday ending the renegade UDA leader's release from jail which he enjoyed under the terms of the Belfast Agreement.
"I am satisfied that Adair is a danger to others and while he is at liberty, is likely to commit further offences," Mr Murphy said at a press conference in Hillsborough last night.
He added: "I will not hesitate to revoke the licence of any prisoner released under the Remission of Sentences Act if they present a risk to the safety of others," he added.
Reliable sources indicated to The Irish Times last night that Adair had broken the terms of the release licence on various grounds. These include that he remains active in directing terrorism throughout Northern Ireland and that he has been involved in other acts of violence, soliciting support for and working to fund illegal organisations, weapons and drugs offences, extortion and money-laundering as well as membership of an illegal organisation - the UDA.
This list of offences, prepared by police intelligence officers, is being presented to Adair this morning by way of explanation for his rearrest. It is not certain if fresh charges will be pressed, as a lower burden of proof is required for revocation of a licence.
Adair had been returned to prison by a former Northern secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, for breaching licence conditions in August 2000. On May 15th, 2002, he was released, having reached the 50 per cent point of his sentence. He was originally sentenced in 1995 to 16 years for directing terrorism.
The decision to return him to prison a second time follows an intensification of the feud within the UDA. This is centred on disputes between Adair and his spokesman Mr John White on the one hand, and the five other local commanders in the UDA.
That organisation, the largest paramilitary organisation in the North, expelled the pair last autumn following their attendance at the funeral of Mr Stephen Warnock, a figure in the rival Loyalist Volunteer Force who was shot by the UDA in September.
The attempted murder of UDA east Belfast leader, Mr Jim Gray, followed.
The situation within the UDA deteriorated further, fuelled by "turf wars" and personal disputes. To date there have been five murders linked to the feud, 16 attempted murders and a spate of attacks and expulsions.
Mr White expressed his outrage and called Adair "a peace-maker" last night.