New moves were tonight underway to end a savage and escalating feud between rival loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland.
The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) is understood to have produced a "book of evidence" linking its rivals in the Ulster Defence Association to the murder of one of its members which ignited the bloodletting.
Less than 24 hours after the latest victim was shot in Bangor, Co Down, sources close to the LVF claimed they wanted to negotiate a settlement.
He said: "They want to mediate a settlement and they want to get the UDA leadership to the table to talk."
Two people have been shot dead and another seven wounded in just over a month as the rival factions plunged into a deadly new dispute.
Festering tensions erupted into open warfare after top LVF man Stephen Warnock was gunned down in Newtownards, Co Down.
In a reprisal attack, his colleagues mounted an assassination bid on the UDA's East Belfast chief, Jim Gray. He was shot in the face but survived.
As the two sides waged a gun battle on the streets of the city, the UDA expelled one of its commanders, Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair, for siding with the LVF.
In the latest attack early today, a 41-year-old man was shot in the chest and stomach at his home in Church Street, Bangor.He was taken to hospital where his condition was said to be stable.
A mediation panel involved Kenny McClinton, the LVF's go-between in decommissioning talks, former UDA boss Andy Tyrie and the Reverend Roy Magee, who negotiated an earlier loyalist feud, has been suggested.
"The LVF is willing to bring a book of evidence on the Stephen Warnock murder to the table," the source said.
"They want the East Belfast UDA to answer them on this and they have pledged not to attack anyone that doesn't attack them.
"Therefore they are staying their hand to give this thing a chance to work."
PA