Billy Hutchinson's statement question-ing the authenticity of threats made against 300 nationalists and a specific warning to a Catholic postman is somewhat disturbing.
In his statement the PUP MLA for North Belfast does "utterly condemn" the threats, but only if they "are genuine". Mr Hutchinson goes on to say that he is "quite dubious of the authenticity of these threats" and that he is "led to believe that they are founded merely in hearsay among the workforce rather than any solid police intelligence".
In fact, the Red Hand Defenders singled out the postman in a telephone warning to this office using a recognised codeword and, as for the almost 300 nationalists, their details were found on a computer disk police believe belongs to the UDA.
As to Mr Hutchinson's belief that the Red Hand Defenders is now "defunct", it is worth noting that the murders of three young men were admitted by this organisation. Gavin Brett, Ciaran Cummings and Daniel McColgan – a Catholic postman – were all murdered in an area believed to be influenced by one UDA brigade.
And it is also worth noting that security sources have in the past indicated that they believe the Red Hand Defenders name has been used as a flag of convenience by the UDA and LVF when they have carried out murders, particularly when these organisations were supposed to be observing a ceasefire.
Whether the Red Hand Defenders actually exists as a separate physical entity as distinct from the UDA and the LVF is a moot point. The fact is that someone killed these three young men and then used the RHD name to admit the murders. So when an individual is warned that his life has been threatened by the RHD he is entitled to take that warning seriously.
However, Mr Hutchinson goes on to assert his belief is that these threats have only surfaced in an attempt to thwart "ideological loyalism attempts to bring stability to the community".
Perhaps Mr Hutchinson is referring to reports that representatives of the UDA and UVF are engaged in talks aimed at creating some sort of common approach.
If those talks lead to a re-establishment of the UDA ceasefire then they will have been worthwhile and perhaps the fact that details of 300 nationalists have been found on a disk linked to that organisation will become less threatening.
