The Government did not know the RUC Chief Constable had confirmed the breach of the UFF/UDA ceasefire until last Thursday, this newspaper has been told, writes Frank Millar, London Editor.
Foreign Affairs sources said the Minister, Mr Andrews, and others had "suspicions" about a possible UDA/UFF involvement in escalating sectarian attacks on Catholics before and after Christmas. But they insisted there was "no conclusive proof" to link the UFF until last Thursday morning, when Mr Flanagan gave the public assessment which triggered this week's crisis in the talks process and the UDP suspension.
It is understood Irish officials were advised of the Chief Constable's intended comments only hours before last Thursday's meeting of the liaison group of British and Irish civil servants in Dublin.
On Monday the Northern Ireland Secretary, Dr Mo Mowlam, said she found out about the UFF breach of the ceasefire on January 12th, 10 days before Mr Flanagan made his assessment public knowledge.
Sinn Fein sources at the Lancaster House talks in London said a number of questions arose from Dr Mowlam's admission, concerning the specific nature of the information she was given and when that information was first available to the Chief Constable.