Former UDA commander Johnny Adair has warned the UVF that further attacks on other loyalists will not be tolerated. He was speaking after a murder attempt on a prominent loyalist in north Belfast.
Mr Jackie Mahood sustained minor injuries when gunmen opened fire on his car on Monday. A former senior member of the UVF's political wing, the Progressive Unionist Party, Mr Mahood resigned in 1996 after political disagreements with the party.
He is critical of the UVF's policies and political strategy. The UVF tried to kill him in 1997 and is widely believed to have been responsible for the latest attack. It is being linked to ongoing tensions between the UVF and anti-Belfast Agreement loyalists.
There have been confrontations between the Loyalist Volunteer Force and the UVF in recent months, with some UDA figures supporting the LVF. In an interview in yesterday's Belfast Telegraph, Mr Adair condemned the latest attack. "I feel disgusted. This feud has to end before it spirals out of control.
"Jackie Mahood is a totally innocent man and was targeted simply because he is an easy target. He is not associated with any organisation. It is only by the grace of God that he is alive. They seem hell-bent on killing him. They have to wise up."
Mr Adair said the UVF leadership had been offered the "hand of friendship" by the LVF in an attempt to end the feud but had rejected it. "I don't blame the ordinary UVF soldier. I blame the leadership, who I believe are working to a dirty-tricks agenda."
Mr Adair also warned of the implications for the peace process if the RUC charge him in connection with a controversial paramilitary display at Drumcree on July 3rd. He expressed concern at the disclosure that the RUC had launched an investigation into his presence and that of 50 other loyalists carrying a UFF banner and wearing UFF T-shirts.
"All I was doing was supporting the Orange Order's rights. I severed my links with the UFF after a lengthy prison sentence. The only law anyone could accuse me of breaking at Drumcree was maybe having an unlicensed dog with me." Meanwhile, RUC sources believe a bomb find in north Belfast may have prevented loyalist under-car booby-trap attacks. Components for devices similar to that which killed the Lurgan solicitor, Ms Rosemary Nelson, last year were seized in the Ballysillan area of the city on Monday.
One kilogram of suspected Powergel high explosive, two mercury tilt switches, a radio frequency scanner, two two-way radios and almost 250 rounds of ammunition were discovered. No arrests have been made.