Tensions were high in loyalist areas of Belfast last night after the UVF-UDA feud claimed the lives of two men associated with the Progressive Unionist Party and the Ulster Democratic Party.
One of the victims was a former UDP member who was involved in the talks leading to the signing of the Belfast Agreement two years ago.
British soldiers were back patrolling the streets of Belfast last night after the suspected tit-for-tat killings.
The first killing happened shortly before noon when Mr Bertie Rice (63), an election worker for the PUP, was shot in the chest at his home in Canning Street in north Belfast. He died later in hospital.
The UDA was blamed for this killing. Less than seven hours later, a former UDP politician, Mr Tommy English (39), was gunned down at his home in Ballyfore Gardens in Newtownabbey, also in north Belfast. Loyalist sources said this was in retaliation for Mr Rice's death, and blamed the UVF.
Both men were shot in front of their wives. Mr English's wife was "pistol-whipped" during the attack, according to local sources. They said his three young children were also in the house.
Mr English, who was in his 40s, had been a leading figure in the UDP, which is linked to the UDA. He was involved in the Belfast Agreement talks and accompanied the UDP leader, Mr Gary McMichael, to Washington for St Patrick's Week in 1998 where they met President Clinton.
The UVF was blamed for this latest murder in the feud that has so far claimed six lives and led to scores of families being forced from their homes.
Loyalist sources were in no doubt that the killings follow the shooting dead of a UDA member, Mr David Greer (21), in the north of the city on Saturday, allegedly at the hands of the UVF.
Mr Rice was a former UVF internee in the early 1970s who returned to Northern Ireland last year from South Africa. He had only recently started working for the PUP, which is linked to the UVF.
The shootings have raised fears of a widening of the loyalist feud. The long-running inter-loyalist violence on the Shankill had abated in recent weeks, but these killings have prompted concern of more violence in north Belfast, and a reactivation of the feud on the Shankill.
Yesterday afternoon British army bomb-disposal experts were called to the Donegall Road area of south Belfast after a caller warned of a bomb underneath a car belonging to a member of the PUP. Nothing was found but the alert has increased fears in loyalist areas of the city.
Mr Billy Hutchinson, in whose constituency office Mr Rice worked, described him as "a soft target". Speaking before the second shooting he warned of possible UVF retaliation. "The UFF (UDA) have put it up to the UVF in north Belfast and that is a serious mistake," he said.
Mr McMichael criticised Mr Hutchinson's remarks. He said Mr Hutchinson should moderate his language and call for an end to the feud rather than make comments that were "almost an incitement to violence".
Mr Davy Mahood, the north Belfast chairman of the UDP, agreed that Mr Rice's killing was linked to that of Mr Greer on Saturday. He accused the UVF of killing Mr English.
Mr Mahood accused the UVF of failing to engage in dialogue after Mr Greer's death. He called again for such dialogue but expressed little hope it would happen soon. "This has the potential to spread over the entire area of north Belfast," he said.
The UDP deputy mayor of Belfast, Mr Frank McCoubrey, warned that loyalist violence was spiralling out of control.
The acting RUC Assistant Chief Constable for north Belfast, Mr George Livingstone, said the situation was "dangerous and volatile". He announced he was bringing in extra RUC resources supported by the British army.
Two men were shot in paramilitary style punishment attacks in separate incidents last night. The first suffered a gun wound to the right ankle and was found at Stanhope Drive in the nationalist Unity Flats area. The second was shot in the leg and found at Kennedy Square, Downpatrick.