There were concerns of a longstanding loyalist feud reigniting last night after the Ulster Volunteer Force was blamed for the murder of an associate of the Loyalist Volunteer Force in east Belfast yesterday.
James Lockhart (25), from Flush Road in the Ballysillan area of north Belfast, was shot dead in broad daylight as he sat in the cab of his lorry outside the demolished Avenue One Bar on the busy Newtownards Road.
Mr Lockhart was shot four times in the chest, according to witnesses. His lorry crashed into a lamp-post during the attack. A passenger in the lorry with him escaped shocked but uninjured.
Mr Lockhart had been removing rubble from the Avenue One Bar site which was formerly owned by jailed ex-UDA "brigadier" Jim Gray. Local people were shocked by the cold-hearted manner in which Mr Lockhart was shot and the fact there were school children in the area at the time.
Loyalist sources blamed the UVF for the murder. They said Mr Lockhart was killed because of his association with the LVF. Last November a van which he was driving was fired upon.
Recently, threatening graffiti appeared in the loyalist Shankill area accusing Mr Lockhart, among a number of allegations, of being a "tout" or informer.
Within hours of his death, graffiti again appeared in loyalist areas, one of which taunted: "J Lockhart Told U So".
Several loyalists have died over recent years in feuding between the UVF and LVF, which in 1996 under the leadership of the since murdered Billy Wright, split from the UVF.
Loyalist sources have said the LVF believes it knows who was directly involved in the killing and who ordered the murder.
The sources said that the LVF planned to retaliate for the killing, a threat which in turn triggered tensions for last night's "mini-12th parade" in east Belfast, which was due to pass by the spot where Mr Lockhart was killed.
After the killing a car, which police suspect is linked to the murder, was found burnt-out in Humber Court in east Belfast.
PSNI Det Chief Supt Phil Wright acknowledged the concerns of a resurrection of the UVF-LVF feud. "There has been a lot of speculation about a feud starting. We don't know if that's the case right now. It's obviously something that we will look at."
He appealed for the many witnesses on the Lower Newtownards Road yesterday to come forward to assist police.
