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Bombs fuel new feud fears

February 16, 2011

By Staff Reporter

An attempted bombing of a car belonging to a senior member of the Ulster Defense Association on Sunday has been linked to the incipient feud. British Army bomb experts carried out a controlled explosion on the car at Rathcoole, on the outskirts of North Belfast.
It’s understood the explosives were contained in a tin box attached to John Gregg’s car in Nendrum Gardens, Whiteabbey. He was convicted more than 10 years ago of attempting to murder the Sinn Fein president, Gerry Adams.
A number of families were moved from their homes as the security operation got under way. The device was discovered by the car owner and was made safe without exploding or causing any damage or injury.
The previous day, a firebomb was left at the home of a leading loyalist in County Antrim. British Army experts dealt with what they described as an incendiary type device at the home of John White in Carrickfergus.
White, a convicted double murderer who stabbed a founding member of the SDLP and his secretary to death 30 years ago, is an associate of former UDA leader Johnny “Mad Dog” Adair.
Although there are attempts already to quell the feud before any injury or death, sources close to both sides say this one is unlikely to be settled without bloodshed.
In October, Adair and White were expelled by the UDA leadership for “bringing the organization into disrepute.” The group later called for its members in the loyalist upper Shankill area of west Belfast to distance themselves from the pair.
A statement from the UDA had accused men linked to Adair and White of forcing eight loyalist families from their homes. In a coded message, the UDA warned Adair and White there should be no further attacks.
White blamed the UDA for the device left at his home.
“The security forces have been searching my home from Wednesday night and found a blast incendiary device there,” he said. “I am blaming the leadership of the UDA in South East Antrim and I am calling for that organization and its leaders to stand down. I think they have lost the right to call themselves loyalists and are more interested in murdering people for their own benefit — certainly they have lost any political or ideological reasons.”
Meanwhile, Adair has left Northern Ireland, temporarily, for a five-star luxury winter holiday in Lapland. Informed loyalist sources within Adair’s own C Company have confirmed he and his family jetted out last week for a all-expenses-paid break.
It is understood his luxury holiday break has incensed a number of his close associates.
“No one else here can afford a holiday like that in the run-up to Christmas,” said a C Company source. “The majority of Johnny’s team are on the dole and struggle to make ends meet. While they try to cope with the cost of Christmas, Johnny and the family are living it up in surroundings people here can only dream about.
“When he gets home from Lapland, Johnny Adair will have questions to answer. We have had enough of his flashy lifestyle while we get the rough end of the stick here on the Shankill.”

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