The Northern Secretary and the RUC Chief Constable will discuss the worsening security situation in the North tomorrow. The meeting between Dr John Reid and Sir Ronnie Flanagan follows the admission by Loyalist paramilitary group, the Red Hand Defenders, that it carried out the murder of an 18-year-old Gavin Brett, a Protestant, in Glengormley, County Antrim last night.
Dr Reid said that the bigoted cowards responsible for random sectarian killings had nothing to offer but grief and heartache to the people of Northern Ireland. Sir Ronnie Flanagan described the attack as "a sickening attack by Loyalist paramilitary cowards".
UDA ceasefire over - Adams
The Sinn Féin President said the killing, and other recent Loyalist attacks, were clear evidence that the Ulster Defence Association ceasefire was now over. Gerry Adams, speaking in West Belfast, called on the RUC and the British authorities to acknowledge publicly that the UDA ceasefire had ended.
Mr Adams also said that Unionists politicians should use their influence to try and stop the Loyalist attacks. He said that he was willing to meet the UDA leadership in an attempt to stop the sectarian violence of recent days.
Killers were targeting Catholic
It is believed that the killers thought they were targeting a young Catholic man. The Red Hand Defenders has been used in the past as a cover name for the Ulster Defence Association and other Loyalist paramilitary groups.
Celebrating a birthday
The 18-year-old was with friends from both sides of the sectarian divide celebrating a birthday. The killer opened fire from a dark-coloured saloon passing along the Hightown Road.
The shooting happened at around 11.30pm last night. The victim's friend, an 18-year-old Catholic, was wounded in the leg. Gavin's father was quickly on the scene and attempted to revive his son through first aid, but the young man died on the path.
