Jamie Bryson: Dissident threats to loyalists ‘unjustified’ as loyalists threatened Irish ministers but not nationalist communities

Mr Bryson was speaking after giving a speech on Saturday night at an anti-Protocol rally in New Buildings, Co Londonderry, attended by DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and TUV leader Jim Allister.

He was responding to threats made over Easter by dissident group ONH (Oglaigh na hEireann), in which masked and heavily armed members of the group said it would target loyalist leaders if republicans or nationalists are attacked.

“We continue to monitor the activities of the UVF and UDA in light of recent actions, and if loyalists target republican and nationalist communities, we will target loyalist leadership figures,” it said.

In his speech, Mr Bryson responded: “Unionism and Loyalism has made no threats to anyone from the nationalist community, and indeed any such threat would be wrong. But these thugs... have taken the step of issuing threats. That is foolish, and plainly any such attack would have significant, and ultimately unwanted, consequences, but consequences nonetheless.”

The News Letter asked Mr Bryson if he was not talking out of both sides of his mouth in saying threats are “wrong”, while apparently sabre rattling about what would happen if dissidents attack loyalists.

He responded that “no such threats” have been made against “the general nationalist population and nationalist communities” but rather against “political figures... foreign ministers”. He added: “I am not sure whether any loyalist group has publicly said that but certainly that has been reported in the media.”

Asked if warning of “foolish and unwanted consequences” if dissidents attack loyalist leaders is not sabre rattling, he replied: “I think it is just making clear in a very reasonable way that talk of attacking anybody is completely foolish and of course if the loyalist community was attacked I am quite sure that there would be a response to that.

”And that would put us in a situation that nobody wants to be in. So in the gentlest way possible I was simply stating that it was a pretty reasonable assumption to come to.”

The News Letter put it to him that claims of loyalist threats to Irish Ministers, followed by threats by dissidents and loyalist warnings are all serving to heighten tensions.

He replied: “Exactly, that is why it was extremely irresponsible for dissident republicans with automatic weapons to make such threats on Easter Sunday”.

But challenged that he is free to condemn threats to Irish ministers and threats by dissidents in equal terms, he said that comments by Irish government ministers during Brexit talks had tempered his remarks.

“Come back to me and pose that question when the Irish government condemn themselves for warning about about IRA bombs over Brexit,” he replied.

He added: “All of this should be reported in context - the preceding and following paragraphs in my speech are clear that loyalism wants peace and wants stability. Also, I said that unionists and loyalists are campaigning using the law and political activism.”