'Paramilitary link' to shooting in the North

A man shot dead outside his home near Belfast may have been ambushed by former paramilitary associates, it emerged today.

Builder Jim Johnston has links with the loyalist Red Hand Commando.

Detectives investigating the attack at the village of Crawfordsburn, Co Down, believe Johnston had been involved in the illegal drugs trade and was a victim of some sort of fall-out.

It is understood that he had feared for his safety, according to friends.

Two men involved in the shooting attacked Johnston outside his home at Ballyrobert Road last night.

They then ran off towards the main Belfast to Bangor road.

A friend of the dead man said today: “The Special Branch had warned him he was under the threat of death.

“They had been to his home several times, warning him to step up his security because he was a target.

“He phoned me yesterday morning (around 11am) to tell me there was a spotter plane above his home. He felt he was under some sort of surveillance.

“Jim may have been involved in drugs a long, long time ago. But definitely not recently. He was a good lad.”