THE umbrella body governing the loyalist paramilitary groups is expected to meet shortly to consider retaliation for the IRA's massive car bomb attack on the British army headquarters in Lisburn, Co Antrim.
Leaders of the main loyalist. paramilitary organisations are believed to have met separately in secret session in Belfast yesterday in the wake of the attack on the Lisburn barracks, but they issued no public statement afterwards.
However, last night's brief IRA statement, claiming responsibility for the Lisburn attack, was regarded as certain to provoke a response of some kind from the loyalist groups. The nature of that response and the continuation of the loyalist ceasefire will be decided by the umbrella body, the Combined Loyalist Military Command (CLMC).
As British army and RUC officers at the highest level began a sweeping review of security measures at bases throughout the North there were further appeals from politicians to the loyalists to refrain from retaliation.
With confirmation that the IRA had master minded the meticulously planned attack on Thiepval Barracks, a further crucial question remained unanswered did this action signal a full resumption of IRA military activities in the North?
Informed sources speculated that the IRA has deliberately left this issue open, choosing to confuse both the security forces and the loyalists as to its future intentions.
The IRA, in its statement, denied that the attack was "designed to provoke loyalist paramilitaries".
Earlier yesterday, the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) spokesman, Mr David Ervine, made an impassioned plea to his paramilitary associates to remain disciplined and keep their ceasefire intact.
Following the IRA statement last night, however, Mr Ervine said that he did not believe the IRA had not intended to provoke a reaction from loyalists. The future of the loyalist ceasefire now lay with the CLMC he added.
The leader of the Ulster Democratic Party (UDP), Mr Gary McMichael, described the IRA statement as a significant development, but said it had not surprised him.
"The ownership of the loyalist ceasefire is in the hands of the CLMC and I've no doubt that they will come to their own conclusions", Mr McMichael said.
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, last night declined to elaborate on the statement earlier yesterday in which he had warned that further violent incidents could be expected if the political vacuum was not filled.
The Sinn Fein chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, said that the party was prepared to meet the challenge facing people in political leadership, but questioned whether others would do likewise.
The SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, said that he hoped the loyalist paramilitaries would not respond. "They must see very clearly that violence from any quarter does not solve our problems", he said.
The Minister for Social Welfare, Mr De Rossa the only member of the Government to respond to the IRA admission of responsibility said that he was appalled by the atrocity. But he argued that it would be a mistake to seek to close off avenues for anybody to participate in the Northern talks.
The British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, described the IRA's admission as "sickening". He added. "So much of what Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness have said in the last two years is nothing less than sickening hypocrisy.
It is understood that Mr Major will meet the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader, Mr David Trimble, at the Conservative Party conference in Bournemouth later today to review the latest developments. Mr Trimble said that the IRA's admission was "no surprise".
President Clinton's national security adviser, Mr Tony Lake, said that there were still signs of hope. He emphasised that the White House would continue to deal with Mr Adams at the level of officials.
Eight victims of the two car bomb explosions remained in hospital in Belfast last night. One, a soldier, was said to be still in a critical condition three others, including a woman, were described as seriously ill, and another was serious but stable.
The joint British army/RUC investigation into what was described by one military expert as the most serious breach of security in the past 25 years is being conducted under the personal supervision of the GOC Northern Ireland, General Rupert Smith.