A PLOT to murder leading Progressive Unionist Party member, Mr Billy Hutchinson, was foiled last week, loyalist sources confirmed yesterday. But the RUC would not comment on the matter and Mr Hutchinson would neither confirm nor deny the allegation that an attempt to kill him was thwarted.
It is understood, however, that detectives from the RUC's Special Branch warned him to change hiss movements because they believed the INLA had details about his activities. The force told him not to travel to the BBC's Broadcasting House in Belfast last Monday. But there had been no arrangements for Mr Hutchinson to come into the studios, a BBC source said yesterday.
Mr Hutchinson took part last Monday in the BBC Radio programme Good Morning Ulster and spoke about the murder of west Belfast Catholic Mr John Slane who had been killed the previous Friday.
A BBC spokesman said: "The BBC, like other news gathering organisations in Northern Ireland, takes very seriously the security of all our contributors. Throughout the years of the Troubles we have always been conscious of the security of our guests."
The BBC is said to be furious about the insinuation that there was a security breach. "We interview a lot of people in one day or even in one week in the BBC from right across the political and sectarian divide. We are absolutely scrupulous in the way we deal with security for everybody regardless of what end of the political spectrum," the source said.
An RUC spokeswoman said the force did not comment on the security of individuals.
Meanwhile, the Irish Republican Socialist Party, which is linked to the INLA, has urged its supporters to vote for Sinn Fein in the forthcoming British general election.
Speaking on behalf of the ardchomhairle of the IRSP Mr Kevin McQuillan said it wished to see maximum republican unity for the election and called on those wishing to register opposition to British occupation to vote for Sinn Fein.
Giving a critical vote for Sinn Fein does not mean that we support the pacification process. Rather it maximises the republican vote, underscores our opposition and strengthens the chances of unseating a number of bigoted unionists," said Mr McQuillan.
He also welcomed the meetings between representatives of Ms Roisin McAliskey, the SDLP and Sinn Fein.