Orde facing questions about shooting of leading loyalist
PSNI chief constable Hugh Orde is expected to face questions about the attempted murder of leading loyalist Mark Haddock when he appears before the North's Policing Board today.
The 37-year-old UVF man is critically ill in hospital after being shot several times near his home in the Newtownabbey area of north Belfast on Tuesday evening.
Haddock, who was also a police informer, is believed to have been targeted by his former associates in the UVF.
Mr Orde is expected to be questioned today on whether he believes the loyalist paramilitary group was responsible.
If the UVF was being the shooting, it would put serious pressure on the Ulster Unionist Party to sever its links with David Ervine, the leader of the Political Unionist Party, which is the political wing of the loyalist organisation.
Mr Ervine joined the UUP's Assembly group last month in a move designed to ensure a unionist majority on any future power-sharing Executive.
UVF involvement in Tuesday's attack would also raise questions about the role of Policing Board chairwoman Dawn Purvis, who is chair of the PUP.
