Sir, - The announcement by the Loyalist Volunteer Force that it has called a halt to the killing of "innocent Catholics" can scarcely have brought any relief to nationalists in the North. Since the definition of "republicans" by some loyalist paramilitaries in the past has included all nationalist voters, all GAA supporters, Irish culture enthusiasts, socialists, many trade unionists and people with Catholic-sounding names, this "cessation" must be treated extremely warily.
Ultimately, the LVF campaign is purely racist in origin and has historical parallels in the activities of extremist Jewish groups in Palestine in 1948 and sections of the "pied noir" in Algeria in the 1960s. Latterly, the Muslims of Bosnia have been victims of the same vicious ideology. It must be defeated. - Yours, etc.
Denis Kenny,
Thurles, Co Tipperary.