President Bush's special envoy to Northern Ireland today called on loyalist paramilitaries to turn their backs on violence and criminality and destroy their weapons.
Mr Mitchell Reiss issued the plea after welcoming indications in the latest report from the Independent Monitoring Commission that the IRA is making progress on its pledge to end all illegal activity.
As he reflected on the latest report from Northern Ireland's ceasefire watchdog, the US State Department official said he was concerned about violence and criminality by loyalist paramilitary organisations.
"We call on the leadership of these organisations to renounce violence, decommission their weapons, and end criminality," he said.
"All paramilitary organisations must demonstrate their unequivocal commitment to the rule of law and the renunciation of all paramilitary and criminal activities in order for the full benefits of the Good Friday Agreement to be enjoyed by the entire population in Northern Ireland."
The four-member commission yesterday claimed criminality remained endemic in the largest loyalist grouping, the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), despite signs that some members of the organisation wanted to change direction.
The IMC also believed UDA members were responsible for the murder in February of Thomas Hollran (49) who died in hospital days after being found lying an an alley in Carrickfergus, suffering from serious injuries.
It accused the organisation of continuing to arm and carry out shootings and assaults.
The report also said the UDA remained heavily involved in crime, including drug dealing and blackmail. The commission's assessment of the Ulster Volunteer Force was little better.