Loyalist killed as feud escalates

The UVF are being accused of killing 34-year-old Brian Stewart in the latest round of feuding among unionist paramilitaries.

Stewart, described by one source as an LVF commander in Holywood, County Down, was ambushed by two gunmen as he arrived for work at a plumbing firm at Alanbrooke Road, off Montgomery Road in East Belfast at around 8am on Tuesday.

About five shots were fired at Stewart as he sat in his car. He died at the scene.

The UVF killer gang's car, a silver Lexus, was found burnt out a short distance from the scene close to Lisnasharragh PSNI Barracks.

The shooting is being linked to serious fighting between rival Glentoran fans during the IFA Cup Final earlier this month in which two people were stabbed.

The fighting was blamed on the LVF and is understood to have been pre-planned, as those involved were armed with knives and steel bars.

This latest killing follows a number of recent shootings in Belfast and amid reports that at least ten UVF members have been warned that they are under threat from the LVF.