PSNI foil gun attack in loyalist feud

Police arrested two men today when they foiled a gun attack which they believe was linked to a loyalist paramilitary feud in Belfast.

A police officer was injured during the major security operation when two handguns were found in the Ballysillan district of the city.

Security forces had stepped up patrols because of heightened fears that a shooting war involving rival factions of the Ulster Defence Association was set to ignite.

A motorcycle was also recovered when officers intercepted the men.

At one stage army explosive experts were called to examine the abandoned motorcycle.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman confirmed one officer was wounded when he was hit by a vehicle as he chased a man at Ballysillan Road. The man was later arrested.

The arrests came as factions linked to ousted UDA commander Johnny “Mad Dog” Adair urged their rivals within the splintering terror group to stop the bitter feud before more men are killed.

Frank McCoubrey, a former deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast and a close associate of Adair, claimed the men arrested were on their way to attack one of their rivals.

He said: “We believe these people were on their way to murder someone or attempt to murder someone from West Belfast.”