There was a sense of apprehension in loyalist areas of Belfast last night as the Ulster Defence Association leadership and the PSNI waited to see if the Shoukri brothers would obey a UDA order to stand down as leaders in north Belfast.
The UDA's so-called inner council of "brigadiers" yesterday issued a statement expelling a "number of its members" from the paramilitary organisation in north Belfast.
The UDA leadership did not name those forced out of the organisation but loyalist and security sources confirmed that brothers Andre and Ihab Shoukri, who ran the organisation in north Belfast, were expelled.
Andre Shoukri (29), the reputed former brigadier in north Belfast, is in custody facing charges of blackmail, intimidation and money laundering. Loyalist and security sources say that his brother, Ihab (32), replaced him as the acting-brigadier in north Belfast.
Earlier this month charges of UDA membership were dropped against Ihab Shoukri after a judge ruled there was not enough evidence to put him on trial.
For weeks there has been an expectation that the UDA inner council would act against the brothers. Concern that previous feuds - such as the bloodshed that followed the expulsion of Johnny Adair - might be repeated by expelling the Shoukris caused the leadership to stay its hand.
The lifestyle of Andre Shoukri in particular, who a court was recently told gambled £863,000 at one Belfast bookmaker, particularly antagonised the leadership and many members of the ordinary UDA membership.
The leadership finally moved against the brothers yesterday. It expelled them and at least one other member, and instructed the UDA membership in north Belfast to begin the process of electing replacement leaders.
The Independent Monitoring Commission has stated that criminality is endemic in the UDA. However leadership sources have portrayed this action as an attempt to clean-up the organisation and place it in a position to make moves to advance the peace process.
One of those who issued the order expelling the Shoukris is Jackie McDonald, the UDA commander in south Belfast.
He is friendly with President Mary McAleese and her husband Martin who, with Irish officials, appear to have placed some confidence in his ability to move the UDA away from criminality and violence.
"We pay tribute to all our members and the north Belfast community for their patience and for the contributions that they have made to the debate about crime and its effects on our community," the UDA leadership said yesterday.
"It is our duty as defenders of the Protestant people whom we serve, to create safer communities that are drug free and where our people can live without fear of oppression," it added.
It now remains to be seen whether the Shoukris will accept the order and fade from the paramilitary scene, possibly by leaving Northern Ireland. If they resist there is concern about another loyalist feud, but yesterday's statement, apparently from the entire leadership outside north Belfast, points to their growing isolation.
