Court to hear legal argument over Adair re-imprisonment

Belfast High Court is due to hear legal argument today about Northern Secretary Paul Murphy's decision to re-imprison loyalist paramilitary Johnny Adair for breaching the terms of his early release.

Adair's lawyers are expected to argue that he is entitled to remain at liberty unless charges are put to him in court. Mr Murphy revoked Adair's early release licence last Friday after security sources said he had resumed his involvement with paramilitarism, guns, drugs, extortion and money-laundering.

Today's proceedings are a preliminary hearing ahead of the beginning of a full legal challenge in the High Court on Friday. Adair has said he intends to seek help in his case from the North's Human Rights Commission, which has expressed concern about the power of the Northern Secretary to revoke early release licences. The commission believes that sending people back to prison without a court hearing amounts to internment without trial.

Meanwhile, a 17-year-old youth is due in court in the North today in connection with the murder of a 22-year-old Jonathan Stewart last month. The teenager is expected to be charged with possession of a weapon and possession of material likely to be of use to paramilitaries.

Mr Stewart was shot dead in the kitchen of a house in Manor Street, north Belfast, on December 27 in an attack that police have blamed on the UDA's notorious "C" company, which is commanded by Adair.

The murder was linked to an ongoing feud between Adair's associates and the mainstream UDA leadership, which expelled the "C" Company commander from its ranks late last year.