Expulsions spark UDA feud fears

Bitter divisions within the Ulster Defence Association deepened tonight with the expulsion of leading loyalist John White.

The action against White came just 48 hours after his close friend Johnny “Mad Dog” Adair, the organisation’s west Belfast commander, was kicked out for siding with the rival Loyalist Volunteer Force.

White, a convicted murderer, dismissed the latest move from the UDA leadership.

“I don’t give any credibility to this statement,” he said. “These people don’t represent the rank and file membership of the UDA as witnessed by the numerous statements of support coming out of other areas.”

Loyalist sources warned tonight that the UDA has effectively been split into two organisations with three of the six brigades supporting the inner council decision and the others falling in behind Adair.

The statement issued by its inner council declared: “The leadership had no alternative but to give notice of their decision to also expel the former west Belfast commander’s close ally and media spokesperson.”

Security chiefs have been put on full alert after the decision to dump Adair sparked fears that a savage new round of loyalist blood-letting was about to erupt on the streets of Belfast.

In the latest murder attempt, a young man was grazed in the back earlier today after a lone gunman fired several shots at him as he worked in a car in a garage in east Belfast.

Loyalist sources said the man was linked to Stephen Warnock, the drugs baron and LVF leader, who was gunned down earlier this month in Newtownards, Co Down, by members of the east Belfast UDA.

The expulsions have opened up a major rift within the terror organisation and despite efforts to mediate between the rival factions it is feared that a feud is inevitable.

Efforts were still being made to avert a round of tit-for-tat killings with reports that a clergyman was at the centre of fresh mediation moves.

Loyalists close to the UDA leadership and the LVF were also involved in delicate negotiations to reach a settlement.

Adair and White have dismissed the moves against them, claiming they were not present when the decision was taken.

They also insisted loyalists in West Belfast and other areas including Mid Ulster and North Down were backing them.

But the statement issued today by the inner council insisted: “No such Ulster Defence Association brigades actually exist except possibly in the fervoured imagination of the gentlemen concerned.

“The UDA remains united, determined and confident in the course of action they have decided upon.”

Mr White, who served a lengthy jail sentence for the murder of SDLP senator Paddy Wilson and his friend Irene Andrews, said he was treating the statement from the UDA with the same contempt he had treated the decision to expel Johnny Adair.

“As far as we are concerned here in west Belfast, we will continue to do the work that we have been doing,” he said.

Mr White insisted that he was still a member of the Ulster olitical Research Group, which has close links with the UDA.

“We are gearing up for the coming elections and will continue to give political analysis to sections of the UDA in west Belfast,” he added.