IMC: Largest loyalist groups moving away from violence

Disgruntled members of the North’s two largest loyalist paramilitary groups have carried out attacks as the organisations move slowly away from violence, it was claimed today.

The Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) said disaffected members of the Ulster Defence Association and Ulster Volunteer Force had formed new dissident groupings under the labels the “Real UFF” and “Real UVF” and were behind a pipe bomb attack last December on a GAA pitch near Banbridge, Co Down, last December and a house in Antrim.

The commission said: “We do not consider these groupings to amount to what we would call paramilitary groups.

“Rather, they are loose affiliations of disgruntled people who have not so far attracted any significant support from within the loyalist community.”

The ceasefire watchdog continued: “We have no evidence that they could presently mount a sustained campaign. We will monitor them closely.”

In May last year, the UVF and Red Hand Commando announced they had developed a strategy to move off the stage and had put their weapons beyond reach.

The UDA also declared in November 2007 that its war was over and committed itself to standing down the Ulster Freedom Fighters, putting its weapons beyond use and eradicating criminality.

The commission said the UVF was continuing to pursue its policy by downsizing the organisation, centralising weapons and reducing criminal activity within its ranks.

There was no evidence that it recruited or trained people but individuals tried to procure weapons on an opportunistic basis.

Other members had carried out assaults and had been involved in serious criminal activity such as drug dealing, extortion, money laundering and the sale of counterfeit goods for personal gain despite the efforts of the leadership to reduce criminality.

“We conclude the UVF remains on the path set out in the May 2007 statement and that there has been further progress along it,” the IMC said.

“We are satisfied that the leadership is committed to further development in this direction but more remains to be done – above all in respect of decommissioning.”

The commission said the November statement by the UDA was an important statement of intent but lacked clarity on how it would achieve its goals.

Attempts had been made to downsize the organisation and encourage members to report criminality to the police but those leaders wishing to transform the UDA had had limited success.

Tensions between a faction in south east Antrim and the mainstream UDA remained unresolved and had inhibited those wanting to steer the organisation in a new direction.

Dissident republican activity had also been cited as an inhibiting factor.

Despite efforts to turn members away from crime, the commission noted: “Criminality remains widespread among UDA members and some of the offences are serious.

“The offences include drug dealing, extortion, the sale of counterfeit goods and loan sharking. We believe that the proceeds are generally for personal benefit.”

But while the report said the November statement was welcome, a clearer strategy for achieving its aims needed to emerge and there had to be progress on disarmament.

The UDA, the commission said, would be judged on delivery.

The IMC repeated its view that the Loyalist Volunteer Force, which broke away from the UVF in 1996, retained its paramilitary structure but was a loose association of people who used the organisation’s name for criminal purposes such as drug dealing.