Republicans' names found on loyalist hit list
Up to 500 republicans in Northern Ireland are being warned that their lives could be under threat after the RUC seized documents and computer disks belonging to loyalist paramilitaries.
Details, including photographs and addresses, were recovered in two separate searches in north Belfast, when guns and pipe bombs were also found.
RUC Asst Chief Constable Alan McQuillan said this morning: "We are advising them to take appropriate measures for their personal security".
His comments come following the biggest seizure of its type for over two years and is linked to the UVF and UVF wing, the Red Hand Commando.
RUC officers charged a number of people following the searches, but it could be some time before all those named were traced by a team of detectives and warned of the possible threat.
Some details are up to 10 years old, but two or three of the entries were made between l997 and l999.
One package, wrapped in plastic, contained an estimated 150 names, a street map marked with Xs at various addresses and several photographs, including montages similar to others found before, and surveillance photographs.
Mr McQuillan said: "At this stage, there is nothing to suggest these are police or Army sourced, but it is possible".
The names of more than 300 republicans were discovered in the second search.
Detectives believe they were downloaded from a republican prisoners' Internet site.
The names of between 30 and 40 loyalists were also discovered.
As part of normal procedures with such seizures, all the information has been passed on to detectives investigating the murders of solicitors Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson.
Relatives and associates have claimed that there was collusion by security forces in both killings.
Mr Finucane was shot dead by loyalist gunmen at his north Belfast home in February l989.
That inquiry is being headed up by John Stevens, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
Mrs Nelson was killed by a loyalist car bomb outside her home in Lurgan in March l999. Colin Port, deputy chief constable of Norfolk, is in charge of that investigation.
