THE ceasefire called by the Combined Loyalist Military Command (CLMC) in October 1994 remains firmly intact despite a threat from a purported new loyalist paramilitary faction, a former Ulster Defence Association commander has insisted.
After the reported emergence of a loyalist splinter group, the leading loyalist warned that anyone who broke paramilitary ranks would be "severely disciplined". "The will of the CLMC will be imposed," he said.
The Ulster Democratic Party and the Progressive Unionist Party also insisted that, despite a threat by the new group to kill Sinn Fein and IRA members, the CLMC ceasefire still held.
The emergence of the new faction was reported in yesterday's Belfast based Sunday Life. It carried a front page picture of a hooded gunman who told the paper that from yesterday the new grouping would start "executing republicans.
The faction thought to include hardliners from the UDA and UVF, according to the newspaper dismissed the peace process as a "farce" in which unionists were being "humiliated".
"We will create a balance of fear", the groups spokesman said.
The emergence of the group comes amid some rank and file calls for a return to loyalist violence. The Rev Roy Magee, a key broker in the loyalist ceasefire, revealed yesterday that he was summoned to meet dissident UVF members last Friday.
They indicated that there was deep concern within loyalist ranks, particularly aroused by the Canary Wharf bombing. "They said it appeared to them to be obvious that violence still paid. They were concerned about this and they would consider taking action," he said.
The UVF members also expressed concern that the IRA was targeting loyalists for assassination, he said.
The Sunday Life reported the gunman as stating the new faction was "neither UVF nor UDA". He gave no name for the group but said attacks on the IRA and Sinn Fein were "imminent".
The group would not target the Republic or engage in sectarian attacks, he added.
"The IRA has declared war on the British people. Sectarian carnage came to London without provocation, but you cannot expect to kill and not be killed," he said.
He said, however, that future violence could be averted by a "genuine and permanent IRA ceasefire" and by Sinn Fein entering the "democratic process with the same honour and integrity as the loyalist paramilitaries".
The former UDA commander told The Irish Times that the CLMC would take some time to check who was behind the faction. He indicated that the group's members would be "severely disciplined".
Following the loyalist ceasefire of 1994, a UDA faction from south Belfast had threatened to break ranks and continue the violence. They were quickly brought into line and warned that the CLMC authority must apply.
The UDA commander said he was in no doubt the CLMC authority would be applied in similar fashion following the reports of this new faction.
Mr Gary McMichael, leader of the Ulster Democratic Party which reflects UDA thinking, said the loyalist ceasefire still remained in force. He expected the CLMC would view yesterday's Sunday Life report as a "challenge of some sort".
Mr Billy Hutchinson, of the PUP, which reflects the UVF view, said his "working assumption" was that the loyalist ceasefire was still in place. "I would imagine if there is some splinter group out there that the Combined Loyalist Military Command will have to take that in hand."
