Loyalists threaten `unholy war' against nationalists

Although there have been no sectarian killings in Northern Ireland in recent days, a number of death-threats have again raised tension, writes

David McKittrick, Ireland Correspondent.

Threats and counter-threats filled the air yesterday as the Loyalist Volunteer Force, which recently killed five Catholics, said it would wage "an unholy war against the nationalist community." It was responding to a republican threat against the family of Billy Wright, the loyalist leader killed by the Irish National Liberation Army just after Christmas.

There have also been possibly unrelated threats against a unionist councillor in Londonderry and against Protestant workmen in the south Armagh area. While the status of the threats is difficult to assess, they have raised tension. An RUC spokesman said some threats might be mischievous, but others could be real.

Although no killings have been carried out in recent days, the violence which left eight dead in December and January has left its mark. Last week an LVF statement that it was suspending attacks on "ordinary Catholics" was seen as progress of a sort, but yesterday's statement was full of renewed menace. Security sources confirmed police had passed warnings of death-threats a week ago to the Wright family, who live in Portadown, Co Armagh. Wright's father, David, who has made clear his opposition to violence and described killings in retaliation for his son's death as abhorrent, said the family was taking the matter seriously.

The LVF said in its statement: "If republicans do not come out and deny these claims ... the LVF will take these threats seriously. If republicans do not come out and issue this statement of denial within the next 12 hours, the LVF will unleash an unholy war against the nationalist community. These type of sick threats against the late Billy Wright's family will not be tolerated."

The INLA, which killed Wright, quickly let it be know the threats did not come from them. Elsewhere in Co Armagh, road-gritting has been suspended in some areas because of a threat purporting to come from the "Catholic Reaction Force," a cover-name occasionally used in the past by the IRA. This threatened the lives of Protestants driving road-gritting vehicles.

A spokesman for the GMB union said: "These are men working on their own on dark roads in the early hours, and it's threatening enough in those conditions without having to worry about a threat from some paramilitary source." Northern Ireland environment minister Lord Dubs said he was very concerned: "Clearly I can't dismiss it as an idle threat. I don't want to send them into situations which are dangerous."

In Londonderry, Ulster Unionist councillor Andrew Davidson said he had gone into hiding after being told by police he was one of three prominent Protestants whose names could be on a death-list. r Ministers are planning to soften unionist opposition to new legislation on parades by placing restrictions on protesters as well as marchers. Last night the Northern Ireland minister Adam Ingram published an amendment to the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Bill demanding that protesters give two weeks' notice in writing to the RUC. It means groups wanting to oppose parades will have a fortnight to organise themselves - marchers must give 28 days' notice of their intentions. Mr Ingram is also expected to table an amendment forcing protesters to comply with a code of conduct which it already imposes on marchers.