Paramilitary groups urged to follow in footsteps of LVF

Loyalist paramilitary groups are being urged to follow the Loyalist Volunteer Force and order their military units to stand down.

The group ceased its operations at midnight in a response to the IRA's decision to decommission its weapons arsenal, and after a formal end to the feud between the LVF and rival UVF was announced.

Nationalist parties in the North are giving a cautious welcome to the ceasefire and say it will take time to ascertain if the group has ceased to exist.

Sinn Féin Assembly member Gerry Kelly said that there have been such statements from Unionist paramilitaries in the past that have been found to be “less than honest".

He said they will have to wait and see, but added that the LVF was only a small component of Unionist paramilitary groupings and that there is major work ahead for the DUP.

Meanwhile, the DUP MP for North Belfast, Nigel Dodds paid tribute to the LVF whom he said had worked hard to end the feud with the UVF.

The Ulster Unionist leader Reg Empey welcomed it as a positive development, but SDLP former deputy leader, Brid Rodgers said that the disbanding had come too late for families of LVF victims who’s lives had been devastated forever by their loss.

The LVF was founded in 1996 by Billy Wright and the group’s first victim was Portadown taxi-driver Michael McGoldrick.

The group was also responsible for the murder of solicitor Rosemary Nelson.