The Ulster Volunteer Force has been blamed for the murder of father of three children Michael "Mick" Green (42) in Belfast yesterday.
Mr Green, from Ballysillan in north Belfast, was shot several times as he turned up for work at Gilpin's furniture store on the loyalist Sandy Row close to Belfast city centre at 8.15am. He was shot at close range by two gunmen. Mr Green died at the scene.
Loyalist and security sources say the murder is part of the long-running feud between the UVF and the LVF, which reignited this summer. Since July 1st four people have died in the feud, all at the hands of the UVF.
The LVF blamed the UVF for the murder and said Mr Green had no connection to the organisation. Loyalist sources said that Mr Green at most was associated with the LVF and was not directly involved.
Det Supt George Hamilton, in charge of the police investigation into the murder, confirmed that the feud was a major line of inquiry and appealed for public assistance in arresting the killers.
It is costing the PSNI £30,000 per day to police this latest eruption of the feud. While some politicians have accused the PSNI of not being sufficiently proactive in preventing attacks and arresting those involved, Det Supt Hamilton said police were acting robustly within the law.
"I'm quite satisfied that the actions taken by police have resulted in a number of lives being saved. But there are four people who have lost their lives and we have actively pursued those responsible for that," he added.
The Rev Mervyn Gibson of the Loyalist Commission, comprising Protestant clergy, UUP politicians, community activists and UVF and UDA members, said he was in continuing contact with UVF and LVF leaders in Belfast to try to bring an end to the killing. He admitted, however, that so far he was having no success.
Local Ulster Unionist Assembly member Michael McGimpsey described the murder as "barbaric and abhorrent". He said the feud appeared to be "spiralling out of control" and the question had to be asked whether PSNI chief constable Hugh Orde and the police were doing enough to prevent the killing. DUP local representative Jimmy Spratt said the disputing organisations must end their feud. "This madness has to stop before it escalates further," he said.
SDLP MP for South Belfast Alasdair McDonnell urged people to assist the police track those responsible for "this ghastly murder".
Sinn Féin Assembly member Alex Maskey said the DUP and UUP must do more to help persuade the UVF and LVF to end the killing, and also stop sectarian attacks on Catholics.
