DUP’s history shows it is far from being opposed to terrorists

REGISTERING his disapproval of the DUP’s approach to the St Andrews Agreement, Dr JE Hazlett Lynch (Irish Examiner letters, November 20) is critical of Ian Paisley’s intention to go into government with Sinn Féin.

Dr Hazlett Lynch’s claim that the DUP has had a “long and clear opposition to terrorists” does not stand up to scrutiny. Dr Paisley has created or belonged to numerous organisations beginning with Ulster Protestant Action in 1956. In 1966, he was founding chairman of the Ulster Constitution Defence Committee and the Ulster Protestant Volunteers.

This latter group was responsible for the attack on peaceful civil rights marchers at Burntollet Bridge in August 1969. In 1974, he sat alongside UDA and UVF leaders in the Ulster Workers Council whose strike brought down the Sunningdale Agreement.