Scottish police release four of Adair's associates

Scottish police have released the four people they were questioning after former UDA members loyal to renegade commander Johnny Adair fled Belfast overnight.

More than 25 of Adair's close associates, including his wife and children, were forced from their homes in west Belfast by up to 100 armed UDA men ahead of the funeral today of John Gregg, the association's south-east Antrim brigadier.

Paramilitaries still loyal to Adair's notorious 'C' Company have been blamed for killing Mr Gregg on Saturday as he returned from a Rangers match in Scotland.

Seven car loads of Adair's associates fled Belfast by ferry following last night's developments and arrived in the Scottish town of Cairnryan this morning.

Four were detained for questioning by anti-terrorism police and the others have since disappeared.

Meanwhile, back in Belfast, the High Court reserved judgement in Adair's legal challenge against the British Government's recent decision to re-imprison the renegade paramilitary for resuming his involvement in drugs, money-laundering, extortion and other criminal activities.

Northern Secretary Paul Murphy decided to revoke his early release licence on the advice of Belfast police.