Unionist politicians urged to intervene in bid to stop loyalist feud

UNIONIST politicians were yesterday urged to get a grip on the escalating loyalist paramilitary feud before it undermines efforts to ensure a peaceful summer in east Belfast.

Sinn Féin councillor Joe O’Donnell said nationalists were concerned by the feud between the Ulster Volunteer Force and Loyalist Volunteer Force, which has already claimed the life of one man and led to a series of attacks on rival factions.

In the latest incident on Wednesday night, a family of five escaped unharmed when a device was thrown at their Glenlea Park home in the Knocknagoney area.

The front door of the house was damaged.

Cllr O’Donnell accused PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde and Northern Secretary Paul Murphy of acting as if the situation was under control, when there were daily bomb attacks. “The small nationalist community in the east of the city is living in genuine fear that this internal loyalist situation will spill over into violence against them,” he warned.

“Sinn Féin along with unionist and loyalist community representatives have done much good work over the past year in setting up mechanisms to ensure that both communities in interface areas of east Belfast have a peaceful summer.

“This work cannot be allowed to be jeopardised by ongoing tensions and feuding within loyalism. I would again appeal to unionist political and community leaders to redouble their efforts to see this feud ended and the climate of fear in east Belfast lifted.”

Tensions in Belfast have soared since the Ulster Volunteer Force murdered a senior member of the rival Loyalist Volunteer Force. Brian Stewart, 34, was gunned down on his way to work in east Belfast last week as part of a bitter turf war which has threatened to spiral out of control.

Security chiefs have drafted in scores of extra police and soldiers into loyalist areas of east Belfast in a bid to quell the mounting violence.