IN SPITE of denials in Dublin, it is understood that the political wing of one of the main loyalist paramilitary groups has cut off direct links with the Government.
The Progressive Unionist Party, which is associated with the Ulster Volunteer Force the group which has bombed Dublin in the past said yesterday it would no longer be taking part in meetings with Government or Opposition politicians or officials.
It is understood that any communications between the organisation and the Government will be through third party intermediaries only.
The UVF is due to meet the leaders of the other loyalist paramilitary organisations, the Ulster Defence Association and the much smaller group, the Red Hand Commando, in the coming days.
The possibility of renewed loyalist violence in response to the escalating IRA campaign is expected to be discussed.
Loyalist leaders have already stepped up their personal security for fear of assassination attempts by republicans.
Meanwhile, an already tense security atmosphere was heightened when some detonators were found in a rental car near Dublin airport yesterday. The detonators were discovered when a staff member of the ear hire firm was cleaning it in preparation for hiring the vehicle to new customers shortly before 4 p.m.
The car was in the firm's yard behind the Coachman's Inn, on the main Dublin to Belfast road. The cleaner found six detonators behind the panelling of the car's glove compartment.
The Garda and Army ordnance experts were called to the scene and identified the detonators as US made "blasting caps", devices normally associated with the IRA rather than loyalist paramilitaries. The Garda stressed there were no explosives in the car and the detonators were not a danger to the public.
The car was taken for forensic examination.
Signs of the growing tension within loyalism were evident on the Shankill Road yesterday as a security grille was welded into place on the front of the Ulster Democratic Party offices. The UDP is generally regarded as the political wing of the UDA.
PUP and UDP members had attended several meetings and debates in the Republic since the loyalists called their ceasefire in October 1994, six weeks after the IRA called its "cessation" of its campaign. However, the UVF leadership has been distancing itself from the Republic's politicians since the ending of the IRA ceasefire.
Last week, the loyalist leaders denied a suggestion by the former Taoiseach, Mr Albert Reynolds, that he had been in contact with them since the ending of the ceasefire. The UVF said it did not wish to speak to Mr Reynolds or the Fianna Fail leader, Mr Ahern.
There is some confusion about the state of contacts between the Government and the UDA, thought to be through Protestant church intermediaries. However, the direct UVF lines of communication to Dublin are now said by the loyalists to be severed.
The intermediary figure between the loyalists and Government officials could not be contacted last evening.
Until last week there had been reasonably cordial relations between the Government and the loyalist paramilitary representatives. Last week, members of the Government praised the loyalists for their restraint and control in the face of the renewed IRA campaign.
However, the UVF was unimpressed by the compliments. Loyalist sources have indicated there is growing pressure from within their ranks for a military reaction to the IRA attacks in London.
The threat of a loyalist attack in Dublin in response to the IRA bomb attacks in London has led Garda and Defence Force patrols along the Border to be stepped up.
Members of the Garda armed units, especially the Special Branch, are being diverted from "ordinary" crime duties back to anti terrorist operations.
Gardai in stations along the Border, where 24 hour cover had been dropped since the paramilitary ceasefires, have been returned to 24 hour rosters. "Mobile" checkpoints are being mounted along the Border, with officers stopping cars on certain roads at irregular periods. This is regarded as a more effective method of deterring terrorists than "static" checkpoints, where officers stop cars at the same spot for up to 24 hours a day.
MAUL MUIRE TYNAN writes:
A Government spokesman last night denied reports that any of the loyalist parties was breaking off contact with Dublin. A spokesman said they had "checked out" the reports and did not believe they were correct. "To the best of our knowledge, there is no truth in these suggestions or reports," the spokesman said.
A group of loyalist representatives, including Mr Gusty Spence, Mr Gary McMichael and Mr Hugh Smith, attended a dinner with the Tanaiste, Mr Spring, and the Democratic Left leader, Mr De Rossa, almost two weeks ago in Iveagh House.
The spokesman said contacts between the sides was "ongoing" on the plans for a preliminary talks process. He had no reason to believe these contacts were ending.