UDA distances itself from 'recluse' Stone

Loyalist killer Michael Stone’s former paramilitary associates had no advance warning of his attempted bomb attack on Stormont, they claimed tonight.

In a statement distancing itself from the Milltown Cemetery murderer’s astonishing solo strike on Parliament Buildings in Belfast, the Ulster Defence Association branded him a recluse who had become estranged from its membership.

The terror organisation also rejected reports that it despatched four carloads of UDA men to intercept, arrest or shoot Stone on Friday as he travelled to Stormont, allegedly carrying a bag of home-made explosives for an assassination attempt on Sinn Fein leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.

The statement said: “The Ulster Defence Association had no prior knowledge of Stone’s intention and it is becoming increasingly clear that he acted alone.”

The loyalist, who was freed early under the Good Friday Agreement from his life sentences for killing three mourners at a republican funeral, is back in jail after being remanded on attempted murder charges brought after he was overpowered and arrested at the front door of Stormont.

The UDA said he had been accepted and supported by its ex-prisoner community after he was freed from the Maze Prison. It offered him what limited resources were available to them at the time, the statement said.

It added: “He was content for a period to work within this reintegration process.

“But for the past two years he became estranged, wishing to pursue issues of truth and reconciliation, engaging with (Archbishop) Desmond Tutu and wishing to engage with other ex-combatants in the republican community.

“This organisation was not ready for this type of development and Michael has since become more reclusive and withdrawn.

“Due to the lack of resources available to ex-prisoners’ groups they were unable to deliver a comprehensive programme that could help people like Michael.”