UVF support for peace agreement ‘wanes’

Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid was tonight under pressure to re-examine the Ulster Volunteer Force’s ceasefire after a loyalist political leader indicated the group was rearming.

Progressive Unionist Party chief David Ervine warned allegations that the IRA trained Colombian rebels and raided Castlereagh Special Branch offices in Belfast had left the terror organisation’s support for the Good Friday Agreement waning.

Though the UVF is still considered by the government to be on ceasefire, Mr Ervine delivered an ominous message.

‘‘I can’t deny the UVF is rearming,’’ the East Belfast Assembly member said.

‘‘Having said that, I have no direct evidence that they are.’’

Another loyalist paramilitary organisation, the Ulster Defence Association, had its ceasefire declared void by Dr Reid last year after spiralling sectarian violence in north Belfast and other parts of the province.

But David Ford, leader of the cross-community Alliance Party, tonight urged the Secretary of State to make a fresh call on the UVF’s status following Mr Ervine’s comments.

‘‘This news is very concerning, but I would urge caution so that we don’t bring about an unnecessary crisis,’’ he said.

‘‘If the PUP believes the UVF is rearming, then it is vital that the Secretary of State urgently clarifies the status of their ceasefire.’’

Although the UDA has been blamed for most loyalist violence, the UVF’s deadly capabilities were demonstrated by the huge car bomb it abandoned at Northern Ireland’s largest street festival last summer.

Security sources were adamant the primed device, which had the potential to cause carnage on a similar scale to the Omagh bomb had it detonated at the Auld Lammas Fair in Ballycastle, Co Antrim, was planted by the UVF.