McCullough murder: Man arrested

Police in the North have arrested a 33-year-old man in connection with the murder of loyalist Alan McCullough, whose body was found in a shallow grave outside Belfast last week.

The man was arrested last night after detectives released another 35-year-old man who was questioned in connection with the murder. That man was rearrested soon afterwards and charged with possessing items likely to be of use to paramilitaries. He is due to appear in court later today.

The Ulster Defence Association, which is supposed to be on ceasefire, claimed responsibility for Mr McCullough's murder, saying he was a British army spy who had double-crossed both factions involved in a recent internal UDA feud.

The 21-year-old was a close associate of deposed UDA commander Johnny Adair, whose supporters in the notorious C Company were expelled from the North as part of their dispute with the mainstream UDA leadership.

Mr McCullough was among those who fled to Scotland, but he returned to west Belfast after believing he had negotiated his safe return with the UDA commanders. However, he disappeared from his home less than two weeks later and was found shot dead last week.

The UDA also accused McCullough of involvement in four assassinations. These are believed to include the murder of Jonathan Stewart in Belfast late last year at the height of the internal feud and the murder of John Gregg, the UDA's commander in south Antrim.

Mr Gregg's murder sparked the expulsion of C Company supporters from the North earlier this year and the UDA had vowed to exact revenge.

In a statement released last night, the UDA said: "Alan McCullough was an MI5 agent who 'Judased' both the UDA and his murdering mates in C Company who were exiled from Northern Ireland. McCullough was military commander of the notorious, now defunct, C Company, who gave orders for four murders, numerous gun and bomb attacks and death threats throughout Northern Ireland."