Adair to appeal decision on prison release

Lawyers for UFF leader Johnny Adair are to lodge an appeal against today's ruling by the North's Sentence Review Commission that he must remain in prison. The Commission overturned an earlier decision to free Adair after hearing evidence from senior RUC men of his involvement in paramilitary activity during the summer.

John White, chairman of the UDP, the political wing of the UFF, said the ruling was "grossly unfair" and added he would be seeking a judicial review of the Commission's decision. The SDLP and Northern Secretary Peter Mandelson welcomed the verdict. There are now fears of street protests in loyalist areas and possible murder attempts on Catholics from the UFF, whose members are now said to be opposed to the Good Friday Agreement by as much as 75%.