Loyalists: we ordered pub execution for 'treason'

Loyalist paramilitary chiefs ordered the execution of a colleague because he committed “treason”, it was claimed last night.

As fears of an all-out shooting war between rival terror chiefs in Belfast escalated after the murder of Roy Green, the Ulster Defence Association accused him of acting as a double agent in a bitter internal feud.

In a statement issued last night, the organisation claimed Green, 32, told leaders he wanted ousted UDA commander Johnny “Mad Dog” Adair killed while all the time he was scheming against the feared terrorist’s enemies.

The convicted drug dealer, who was gunned down outside a pub in south Belfast on Thursday, was also blamed for passing on false information which led to an earlier murder in the bitter internecine dispute.

The statement said: “We regret the grief and sadness visited upon the Green family circle, but treason is treason.”

Security chiefs now fear the second murder in the deadly loyalist feud will not be the last.

Green was shot dead by a lone gunman as he left the Kimberley Bar on the Ormeau Road.

Although he was a high ranking UDA member, his close links to Adair led the organisation’s so-called inner council to decide to sanction his murder.

Adair has been locked in a fierce dispute with the terror grouping’s five other brigadiers ever since they expelled him in September.

His supporters, who form the hardline C Company in west Belfast’s Lower Shankill estate, have been blamed for killing the first victim of the feud, 22-year-old Jonathan Stewart, two days after Christmas.

With the two opposing factions ruling out any attempt to broker a truce in their war, special police teams have been drafted in to try to stop more killings.

Adair’s mentor, John White, has accused the five brigadiers of plotting Green’s murder and has called on them to stand down.

But in the statement issued by the Ulster Freedom Fighters – a UDA cover name – it was claimed that senior members had been monitoring the murder victim for weeks.

“The inquiries reveal that Green had been acting as a double agent between C Company and members of North and South Belfast UFF,” it said.

“Green declared on many occasions that whilst Adair was a friend of his he thought that Adair and John White (Adair’s mentor) should die for their actions against the organisation and he revealed he had plans to set up Adair for execution.”

Among the “acts of betrayal” listed against the murder victim, the UDA claimed he warned Adair of an assassination attempt on one of his associates that was then foiled.

The statement also said: “Green passed on false information to Adair regarding Jonathan Stewart which led to this lad’s murder by C Company on December 27.

“Green may as well have pulled the trigger himself.”

He was also suspected of having possessed guns intended for attacks on UDA leaders in north and south Belfast.

Mobile phone records show he was in daily contact with loyalists dumped by his organisation, it was claimed.

The statement added: “The decision was then taken to execute Green without delay.”