Loyalists called on to hand over more weapons

Loyalist paramilitaries who dumped a stockpile of explosives to be destroyed by the security forces were today urged to scrap even more of their weapons.

Northern Ireland police later said that 14 pipe bombs and four fireworks had been recovered.

They were removed for further examination and will be put on show later.

The items were handed over by Ulster Defence Association leaders in west Belfast. Nationalist representatives have now called for a further scaling down of the organisation’s arsenal.

SDLP Assembly member Alban Maginness said: “Having started this they should finish the job off by handing in all their weapons and explosives so that the whole community will be safe.”

The terror organisation claimed it left the devices at a drop-off point in the hard-line Shankill area as part of a major drive to restore order following a violent feud with rogue UDA boss Johnny “Mad Dog” Adair and his supporters.

In a statement it said: “The West Belfast Brigade of the Ulster Defence Association left pipe bombs at Ewarts Playing Fields to be disposed of by the security services.

“We took this action to eradicate pipe bombs from our community as part of the ongoing steps to stabilise and normalise loyalist west Belfast.”

The devices and component parts – similar to those used in hundreds of attacks on Catholic homes across the North – were put in bags and transported to the drop-off point.

Police chiefs and Government officials at the Northern Ireland Office were alerted to the plan before the operation was launched.

Loyalist sources have insisted this was not an act of decommissioning, claiming that General John de Chastelain’s international disarmament group was not involved to oversee the move.

But it is the first time the UDA has handed over any of its weapons used in a campaign of violence both against Catholics and in feuds with other loyalists.

The paramilitaries said they wanted to demonstrate how the new regime will operate after Adair’s family and “C” Company associates were forced to flee to Scotland earlier this month as a bloody shooting war which claimed four lives was brought to an end.

“These weapons have been synonymous with attacks on Protestants during feuds and disputes and we have already stated we must not go down that road again,” the statement added.

“We are also asking anyone still holding these weapons to contact their local commanders who will initiate steps for them to be disposed of.”

Several people have been killed by the explosive weapons during the violence in Northern Ireland

Security minister Jane Kennedy welcomed the move, which she claimed had prevented murders.

“People have been killed and maimed by pipe bombs and this police operation has undoubtedly saved lives,” she said.

Frank McCoubrey, an Independent loyalist councillor in the Shankill area, welcomed the move.

“It’s another step on the right direction to bringing normality back to the Shankill Road,” he said.

“I have no doubt if the organisation had not taken this step these pipe bombs could have caused misery to our community.”