Top dissident republican, John James Connolly, will next week come face-to-face with the unionist who wants him back behind bars.
Ulster Unionist leader Tom Elliot is demanding that Connolly, the former commander of Real IRA prisoners in Maghaberry jail, be returned to prison.
Elliot made the call after Connolly was photographed taking part in a protest in Dublin against the Queen's visit last month.
Connolly and Elliot will stand only a few feet apart as 1,000 loyalists march on the outskirts of Newtownbutler, Co Fermanagh, on Friday night.
In an exclusive interview, Connolly – who is from the village – said: "Residents have asked me to be a steward at the protest against the march. I'll be there to protect and defend my community if loyalists try to attack it."
Elliot, the local MLA, will be watching the Border Defenders flute band's annual parade as Connolly stands on the other side of police lines.
Last year, loyalists were allowed to march through Newtownbutler. But the Parade Commission rerouted them this year, ordering marchers to remain around 200 yards outside the village. Twenty-five bands and hundreds of their supporters will take part.
Connolly said that he, fellow 32 County Sovereignty Movement members, and other nationalists planned to assemble at the PSNI cordon in case loyalists tried to break through and attack the nationalist village.
He said residents were also on high alert as the LVF had previously threatened to target Newtownbutler if the march was rerouted.
"As a republican and an Irishman, I have a duty to defend and protect my community. I wont stand idly by and allow a loyalist invasion of Newtownbutler. We don't want a situation where 1,000 angry loyalists wreck the place," Connolly warned.
"We wont let them do in Newtownbutler what they did in the Short Strand. If Tom Elliot thinks that by demanding I be returned to jail, he will shut me up or keep me locked in my house, then he is very, very wrong."
Connolly (35) was released from jail in 2007 after serving seven years for possession of a barrack-buster mortar with intent to endanger life.
Last month, Elliot called for the secretary of state, Owen Patterson, to revoke Connolly's licence after he took part in an anti-royal protest in Dublin at which the Union Jack was burned.
Elliot said: "John Connolly should be returned to jail. Burning a flag is incitement to hatred. The secretary of state needs to be very clear on convicted terrorists let out on licence who breach that licence."
Connolly said: "Tom Elliot should get his facts right. Two youths set fire to the Union Jack. I was there but I personally didn't do it.
"Tom Elliot is really calling for a return of internment – that's hardly surprising from a former UDR man. I'm an unashamed republican and I wont give up my beliefs because Tom Elliot doesn't' like them."
Last year's Newtownbutler march caused controversy when Connolly – a steward at the accompanying nationalist protest – was photographed standing inches away from Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew and Sinn Féin MLA and ex-Provisional IRA H-Block leader, Sean Lynch.
Unionists declared a "pan-republican front" was in operation. But Connolly claimed many local people were unhappy that last year's protest hadn't been more militant. "The PSNI swamped us with jeeps and helicopters.
"The village was closed down and the natives penned in like animals. We were determined that wasn't happening again which is why the Parades Commission made a different decision this year.
"But we don't want loyalists marching even on the outskirts of our village next week. Newtownbutler is 98% Catholic. In one video, these loyalists bigots call nationalist residents pikeys. The 'Border Defenders' aren't from Newtownbutler and they aren't welcome in it."
Tom Elliot said that at last year's parade, nationalist protestors had tried to drown out the bandsmen's music, intimidate marchers, and "undermine the rights of Protestants to express their culture".
