THE two Scots Guardsmen jailed for the murder of a teenager in Belfast six years ago were yesterday moved to segregation cells after receiving death threats.
It is understood James Fisher and Mark Wright were moved within Maghaberry Prison, County Antrim, for their own protection.
Fisher, from Ayr, and Wright, from Arbroath, were jailed for life for the murder of Peter McBride, 18, in Belfast's New Lodge district in 1992.
Last night, a prison insider said: ''The threat was very real and it was clear the two soldiers could no longer stay in the prison with other civilians. They have been moved and that has obviously restricted their movement and contact with other inmates, especially republicans.''
An appeal to the High Court in Northern Ireland in 1994 was dismissed and a subsequent appeal to the House of Lords refused.
The families have vigorously campaigned for their release, and their call has been backed by the Scots Guards Association. The campaign has also been supported by independent MP Martin Bell, and Labour MP Tam Dalyell.
There were also a death threat in the Maze last night, issued by the Loyalist Volunteer Force against warders over allegations of mistreatment.
The prison crisis was heightened when the Government was given a blunt warning by loyalist politicians that they would not sign up to any Northern Ireland settlement which does not include prisoner releases.
The Northern Ireland Office condemned the Maze death threat as ''reprehensible'', a spokesman saying it ''totally rejected the implication that prisoners are mistreated''.
Prison sources said they found the threat ''incredible'' coming five days after LVF inmates are thought to have tortured and murdered one of their own inmates, murder suspect David Keys. Ten of those LVF inmates were still being questioned by the RUC last night.
There was a robust defence of the prison service from Northern Ireland Security Minister Adam Ingram. He was responding to claims made to BBC Radio 4 by an anonymous warder that the jail was being run by prisoners who issued demands to the Northern Ireland Office on mobile phones.
''The Maze is definitely out of control,'' said the prison officer, who added it would be easy to smuggle in guns.
Mr Ingram condemned the claims as ''sensationalist nonsense'' and pointed to the prison's electronic jamming system to block the use of mobile phones.
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