(by Mick Browne, The People)

LVF boss Robin King is set to be kicked from his throne at the top of the mid-Ulster based killing machine within weeks.

Loyalist and security sources say a leadership contest is planned for September and that two other men will put themselves up for overall boss. But King has not been told, and sources predict that could lead to a violent reaction from the man described as 'even more ruthless than Billy Wright'.

They claim King, a former Catholic, will receive instructions 'soon' to attend a meeting at which he will be 'told the result'. He could not be contacted before going to Press.

But a source with an insight into LVF thinking predicted: "King will go mad when he hears this - he'll explode. He's volatile, and this will make him go spare."

Another said: "He'll not take this lying down, he'll go after whoever is behind it, and that means the top bucko, he won't go for his second in command. It will be a cruel and bloody feud."

King's rivals are a Lurgan man and an LVF leader from Antrim, who is said to regard himself as an ideological heir to Billy Wright. The move against King will come as a huge shock for the 37-year-old, who moved from Lurgan to Waringstown when he was nine, after his Catholic mother joined the Church of Ireland.

It was revealed earlier this month that King, closely linked with UDA boss Johnny Adair through their mutual friendship with Billy Wright and the Drumcree protests, had kept his early faith a secret from his loyalist buddies. But news of King's secret is said to have caused shockwaves in loyalist circles.

King has a fearsome reputation, and was the Officer Commanding the LVF wing in the Maze in 2000 when he declared the LVF war to be over.

He benefited from the Good Friday Agreement early release scheme. But since then the LVF in his area has killed journalist Martin O'Hagan and solicitor Rosemary Nelson, and has concentrated on its feud with the UVF, or intimidating Protestant families. But a well-placed security source confirmed the meeting has been arranged. And a loyalist source in Belfast said friction between Adair and other UDA Inner Council members is preventing Adair from helping his friend: "If it goes ahead, there would a number of reasons.

"I hear some aren't too happy with the direction of things, and people would see the Antrim man as more of a 'do-er'.

"Johnny's boxed off, so it leaves the way open for others to make a move."

This source believes the UDA is currently split over its political wing, the UPRG, led by John White. Rows arose after White met recently with Belfast Sinn Féin Lord Mayor Alex Maskey, and also over Adair's efforts to bring the LVF on to the UDA Inner Council.

"The UDA are split straight down the middle on this.

"Three of their brigadiers do not want these guys brought in, as it will only stir bad feeling with the UVF," he said.

He claimed even Adair is dissatisfied with King's leadership: "They're saying he's not really doing what needs to be done, he should be carrying out things as cover for Johnny, so it doesn't look like he has Johnny's full support.

"In the Antrim man's favour he has a good drugs pedigree, and he knows Adair well."

And a source close to the LVF added King and his cronies have been distracted by internal matters.

"King has lost support because he's been spending all his time with his closest pals."

Asked about the view that King hadn't being active enough he replied: "Well Robin isn't getting any younger."

He said both contenders carry a lot of support: "The Lurgan man is a dark horse, and has credibility, no question.

"He would have the bottle, the savvy and he's been about a long time, so he would be a good leader.

"And the Antrim man sees himself as closer to Wright's thinking or ideology than anybody else."

This man, who has convictions for drugs offences, has been linked with the murders of two Catholics.

His family have long links with the UVF in north Belfast, but split after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. The Lurgan man, meanwhile, has convictions for assault.

King's Catholic past was an open secret between King and his teenage friend Billy Wright. The INLA killed Wright while he was serving a sentence in the Maze Prison, on 27 December 1997. In a twist King and Wright share the same birth date.

After the deasth of Billy Wright the leadership of the LVF passed to Mark Fulton. King recently took on the leadership after a dispute with other organisation members.

He first came to prominence when sentenced in 1994 to 16 years for conspiracy to commit murder, and served five and a half years.

He was also accused of the murder of fellow LVF member David Keys, although the case against him and fellow LVF leader Alfie Phillips collapsed in 2000. But despite his reputation, sources say King is 'furious' at the revelation of his Catholic past.

Childhood friends confirmed Robin attended St Paul's Catholic primary school on the Ballymacbredan Road, just outside Lurgan. There he won a medal for Irish dancing, and earned a reputation as a good GAA player.

Efforts were made to contact King, but he was not available.

It was also recently revealed that many of those in King's LVF unit have Catholic parents or grandparents, including a man suspected of involvement in the murder of Martin O'Hagan.

When this man, who has a conviction for drugs offences, lost a relative loyalist sources noted that the death notices were placed in the nationalist Irish News paper, as opposed to the unionist Belfast Telegraph, as expected.

Few LVF colleagues are said to have attended the funeral or wake.

Meanwhile, the security source said King had become the butt of humour for his drinking buddies in the Lurgan pub which serves as their headquarters.

"One fellow handed a parcel to someone and told him to give it to Robin, which he did.

"Robin opened it, and it was an Irish tricolour, with Robin's name on it.

"The laughs went round the bar.

"Rumours that he's trying to force the men to go to Mass are groundless."

This article appeared in the September 1, 2002 edition of the The People.

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