Mr John White and Mr Johnny Adair are continuing to defy their expulsion last week from the UDA with an appeal to grassroots members for support.
The two men, both convicted terrorists, met at the weekend at Mr White's substantial property near Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, to decide on their response along with members of Mr Adair's notorious "C Company" which is in his lower Shankill heartland.
The UDA, which Mr White helped found, now appears to be dangerously unstable. The appeal for support from Mr Adair, the arrest of the organisation's north Belfast "brigadier" Mr Andre Shoukri, and growing tensions between the UDA and other paramilitary groups following the murder of drug-dealer Mr Stephen Warnock in Co Down two weeks ago are all adding to the unease.
If Mr Adair's men stand by him and Mr White, it raises the danger of feuding among the various UDA strands. Reports at the weekend suggested that other "brigadiers", notably in east Belfast, were preparing for strikes against rivals.
In north Belfast, there have been reports of a struggle for control of the UDA following the arrest of Mr Shoukri on an arms charge a week ago. The situation within the organisation has been deteriorating for over a year. Last October, the Northern Secretary Dr Reid ruled the UDA ceasefire bogus.
The UDA was blamed for much sectarian violence towards the end of last year. It was also accused of killing postman Mr Danny McColgan in January.
Sinn Féin has claimed the organisation is involved in a concerted assault on Catholics in Belfast and also attempting to goad the IRA off its cessation, thus bringing potentially fatal political pressure to bear on the Belfast Agreement.
There was another pipe bomb attack on a Catholic family in north Belfast at the weekend. A mother and the three-year-old child she was carrying were targeted in the Alliance Avenue area. They were unhurt, but the woman was treated in hospital for shock.
In Co Armagh, some 20 cars bearing Armagh flags and colours, were damaged in attacks early yesterday. It is thought a sectarian gang is responsible for smashing windows in the vehicles in Lurgan.