Police in the North are investigating an alleged security breach at the Castlereagh security complex where senior Special Branch and military intelligence personnel operate.
Twenty-eight Royal Irish Regiment (RIR) soldiers have been removed from duty following reports of the security breach at the Belfast base.
A press report at the weekend said a sensitive security document taken from Castlereagh had fallen into the hands of the UDA.
Speculation that the document, reportedly containing details about 400 republicans and loyalists, had been taken was fuelled by the arrest and release last week of a soldier based at Castlereagh.
The Press Association reported the soldiers had been withdrawn from security duties at Castlereagh and at watchtowers in nationalist areas, such as Divis Tower in west Belfast.
Northern Ireland security minister Ian Pearson yesterday confirmed a document has disappeared from a room at the Belfast police headquarters but said he had confirmed with senior officers in the PSNI that there are no indications that material had fallen into the hands of paramilitaries.
There are no indications that anybody listed on the document has been warned about their security. Security and official sources have suggested the document may be lost rather than stolen.
This, however, has failed to satisfy Sinn Féin and the SDLP. Mr Gerry Kelly of Sinn Féin said when he met Mr Pearson yesterday he refused to answer questions on the possible involvement of the RIR in the missing dossier.