The Loyalist terror group, the LVF, has given its clearest indication yet of its intention to move away from a violent past and into community politics.
A spokesman for the LVF in the Maze Prison said yesterday that the move had been under discussion for some time and was part of the LVF's response to political developments in the North.
"When the LVF declared its ceasefire in May last year, it showed its intention of accepting the will of the people as expressed by democratic means," he said. "Should the political process continue to develop without a resumption of paramilitary violence, then we as an organisation must evolve according.
"The LVF has already stated publicly that its war is over. That statement was followed up by an act of decommissioning of weapons in December last year - something that no other paramilitary group has been prepared to do. We now intend to move forward and develop our role politically within the loyalist community outside the greater Belfast area."
He said the LVF intended to become involved in long-term community projects. It was hoped to secure funding to enable properly constituted loyalist community groups to develop their own programmes of education and social development within their area.
"For years the loyalist community in rural areas has lost out economically," he said, "the majority of funding for such projects having been channelled into loyalist areas of Belfast.
"By adopting a political policy we hope to encourage the rural loyalist community to develop an interest in the history and culture of the Protestant community, as well as becoming conversant with their fundamental rights and entitlements."
He said the LVF "long-term policy is one of tolerance, education and development. This is in contrast to the policy of intimidation and threat operated by mainstream paramilitaries which currently exists in towns such as Ballymoney, Londonderry, Antrim and areas of south Belfast."
Criticism was also levelled against "apathetic unionist councillors" involved at local government level in the North.
The LVF spokesman said most unionist politicians and councillors were too "preoccupied" with constitutional matters to concern themselves with the social and economic everyday matters that affected their electorate at community level.