Loyalists arrested during a raid on a Belfast bar last week were meeting to plan an end to all Ulster Defence Association (UDA) crime and violence, a court was told today.
A barrister made the claim during a scathing attack on Northern Ireland Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde's attempt to have alleged senior UDA man Ihab Shoukri sent back to prison.
The bid to have his bail revoked came after Mr Shoukri (31) was arrested along with 16 other men when police stormed a pub in the north of the city during a suspected dress rehearsal for a paramilitary show of strength.
Although eleven of the men have been charged and remanded in custody, Mr Shoukri was released while further inquiries were carried out.
At Belfast Crown Court today, the judge was asked to examine if he was in breach of bail conditions imposed while he waited to go on trial for membership of the outlawed UDA.
But Arthur Harvey QC insisted his client had been downstairs in the Alexandra Bar in the Tiger's Bay district when a specialist police unit fired up to 70 CS gas canisters into the building in a bid to capture those at a meeting in an upstairs room.
He told the court: "It's somewhat ironic that the plea had been advanced by police that the individuals in the upstairs bar were involved in some sort of show of strength.
"In fact they were attending a meeting, the result of which was to announce the end of all criminal activities by the UDA. Police have documents to prove that," he added.
Mr Shoukri, whose brother Andre is widely believed to command the UDA's north Belfast brigade, was in court for the application. He escaped arrest 18 month ago for being found in Belfast despite being banned by his bail conditions from the city.
Since then his bail conditions have been relaxed. Sheena Mehaffey, for the Crown, told the court today she accepted Mr Shoukri was not dressed in paramilitary gear but insisted that police regarded him as a senior UDA member with a criminal record for blackmail.
"It's the police case that by the defendant being present on the date in question with persons in paramilitary uniform and with UDA documents, he has re-offended and his bail should be revoked," Ms Mehaffey said.
But Mr Harvey said there was no substance to the evidence against Mr Shoukri. He went on: "The Chief Constable has sought some sort of gladiatorial contest to pitch himself against the defendant." Mr Harvey said it was scandalous that the move should be made against his client simply for being in a bar having a pint when the raid happened.
He also disputed police claims that Shoukri was in a downstairs store with men dressed in paramilitary gear when officers stormed in.
Judge Tom Burgess reserved his ruling until tomorrow and allowed Mr Shoukri to remain free on bail.