The Northern Secretary Dr John Reid said he was not going to declare the UDA ceasefire finished because there was no evidence linking them to the murder of Sunday Worldjournalist, Mr Martin O'Hagan.
"There is no indication at the moment that this was a UDA inspired killing, and I await further information," said Dr Reid.
Mr O'Hagan, a journalist who worked for the northern edition of the Dublin-based Sunday World, was shot dead by a gunman close to his home in Lurgan, Co Armagh last night.
"It is always better to wait until we get information or evidence before we ascribe it but it is yet another tragedy in Northern Ireland which is futile and linked to the corruption of a society that we are trying to get rid of," Dr Reid added.
He added that he supported fully the intention of the RUC Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan to arrest those responsible.
The loyalist Red Hand Defenders - a cover name used in the past by the UDA and the LVF - this morning claimed responsibility for the murder.