It was the deadliest attack of the Troubles. Secret memo says explosives were shipped in small boats", "The Canadian Dimension to the Northern Ireland Conflict", "BBC - The Devenport Diaries: Remembering Billy Wright", "Sutton Index of Deaths: Crosstabulations (two-way tables)", "Sutton Index of Deaths: Status of the person killed", CAIN University of Ulster Conflict Archive, Ceasefires of the Provisional IRA, UVF, UDA and RHC, Murders of Andrew Robb and David McIlwaine, Ulster Loyalist Central Co-ordinating Committee, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ulster_Volunteer_Force&oldid=1146850921, Proscribed paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland, Organizations based in Europe designated as terrorist, Organisations designated as terrorist by the United Kingdom, Organised crime groups in Northern Ireland, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox militant organization with unknown parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2016, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2008, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from August 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2009, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2020, All articles that may have off-topic sections, Wikipedia articles that may have off-topic sections from June 2022, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from June 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, May 1966 present (on ceasefire since October 1994; officially ended armed campaign in May 2007), Unnamed Chief of Staff (1974 October 1975).
[93], During the Belfast City Hall flag protests of 201213, senior UVF members were confirmed to have actively been involved in orchestrating violence and rioting against the PSNI and the Alliance Party throughout Northern Ireland during the weeks of disorder. In October, UVF and UPV member Thomas McDowell was killed by the bomb he was planting at Ballyshannon power station. A MAN in his 30s has been arrested following the seizure of suspected cocaine and cannabis by police investigating criminality linked to the East Belfast UVF. They managed to procure a large cache of weapons and ammunition including L1A1 Self-Loading Rifles, Browning pistols, and Sterling submachine guns. SDLP councillor Samas de Faoite spoke out after reports that the loyalist group in east Belfast claims to have expelled 20 "once prominent members".
[69], According to journalist and author Ed Moloney, the UVF campaign in Mid-Ulster in this period "indisputably shattered Republican morale", and put the leadership of the republican movement under intense pressure to "do something",[70] although this has been disputed by others.[who?]. The long-standing East Belfast UVF leadership is wholly committed to preserving the sacrifice of the UVF during the conflict period, and alongside ensuring the union is safe, delivering an innovative and genuine process of positive transition.. ", "Ulster Volunteer Force is no longer on ceasefire, police warn", "Gary Haggarty: Ex-senior loyalist pleads guilty to 200 terror charges", "Police seize drugs and arrest 11 during raids on east Belfast UVF", "Nine men charged after east Belfast UVF police raids", "Brexit: loyalist paramilitary groups renounce Good Friday agreement", "NI riots: What is behind the violence in Northern Ireland? The UVF's declared goals were to combat Irish republicanism particularly the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and to maintain Northern Ireland's status as part of the United Kingdom. There was to be much overlap in membership between the UCDC/UPV and the UVF.[23]. East Belfast remains the biggest headache for Graham he has come under intense pressure from the British to sort it out but it remains a highly effective organised crime gang and beyond his control. [67] The UVF also killed senior IRA paramilitary members Liam Ryan, John 'Skipper' Burns and Larry Marley. [30], On 12 October, a loyalist protest in the Shankill became violent. On Saturday officers from that unit seized class A drugs, a quantity of white powder and prescription medication, with an estimated value in excess of 100,000 along with 30,000 in cash after a car was stopped on Montgomery Road in east Belfast. The statement said the east Belfast UVF "wholeheartedly condemned" the murder and that "whoever did it, did not do it in the name of loyalism or the UVF". [42] On 17 May, two UVF units from the Belfast and Mid-Ulster brigades detonated four car bombs in Dublin and Monaghan.
We are heavily armed Protestants dedicated to this cause.
Both pubs were wrecked and a number of people were wounded. In 1972, the UVF's imprisoned leader Gusty Spence was at liberty for four months following a staged kidnapping by UVF volunteers. The Irish Army set up field hospitals near the border. [163], There were also 66 UVF/RHC members and four former members killed in the conflict.[165].
. Colin Wallace, part of the intelligence apparatus of the British Army, asserted in an internal memo in 1975 that MI6 and RUC Special Branch formed a pseudo-gang within the UVF, designed to engage in violence and to subvert the tentative moves of some in the UVF towards the political process. [39] This came to a climax on 4 December, when the UVF bombed McGurk's Bar, a Catholic-owned pub in Belfast. It is telling that when they appeared in court, there was no mention of the UVF, an insider said. It was the UVF's deadliest attack in Northern Ireland, and the deadliest attack in Belfast during the Troubles. Police said they have dismantled the supply of "drugs linked to East Belfast UVF" after drugs worth over 100,000 were found in a car during a search. [90][91] A dissident Republican was arrested for "the attempted murder of police officers in east Belfast" after shots were fired upon the police. The UVF launched further attacks in the Republic of Ireland during December 1972 and January 1973, when it detonated three car bombs in Dublin and one in Belturbet, County Cavan, killing a total of five civilians. At a sentencing hearing in court on Friday for Robert Rab Osborne, who admitted possessing 4kg of cannabis with intent to supply, the paramilitary group was linked by police to all drug dealing in east Belfast. This was in retaliation for attacks on Loyalist homes the previous weekend and after a young girl was hit in the face with a brick by Republicans. It was formed in late 1965 or early 1966 and named after the Ulster Volunteers of the early twentieth century. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [118] Members were trained in bomb-making, and the organisation developed home-made explosives. In 1971, these ramped up their activity against the British Army and RUC. Alan Erwin Belfast Telegraph. Criminal brothers who were among the East Belfast UVFs biggest drug dealers are facing prison after admitting running a money-spinning cocaine network. He was shot dead by the IRA in November 1982, four months after his release from the Maze Prison.
There were broken parts of what we would describe as a compressed block, loose cocaine in bags, prepared deal bags of cocaine, unused deal bags, scales and all the accoutrements of drugs supply. [146], Scotland was a source of funding and aid, supplying explosives and guns.
[135] Like the IRA, the UVF also operated black taxi services,[136][137][138] a scheme believed to have generated 100,000 annually for the organisation. [72], On 14 September 2005, following serious loyalist rioting during which dozens of shots were fired at riot police and the British Army the Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain announced that the British government no longer recognised the UVF ceasefire. Such retaliation was seen as both collective punishment and an attempt to weaken the IRA's support; it was thought that terrorising the Catholic community and inflicting such a death toll on it would force the IRA to end its campaign. [114] At other times, attacks on Catholic civilians were claimed as "retaliation" for IRA actions, since the IRA drew almost all of its support from the Catholic community. Its first leader was Gusty Spence, a former British soldier. [30], On 12 August 1969, the "Battle of the Bogside" began in Derry. We are moving to a new facility down the street from our previous American Fork location. Fifteen Catholic civilians were killed and seventeen wounded. Some unionists feared Irish nationalism and launched an opposing response in Northern Ireland. [76] This was to take effect from midnight. He said: If he [Cullen] has gone out of his way to modify this car, is it indicative that this is being done on a regular basis?.
It issued a statement vowing to "remove republican elements from loyalist areas" and stop them "reaping financial benefit therefrom". Veteran anti-UVF campaigner Raymond McCord, whose son, Raymond Jr., a Protestant, was beaten to death by UVF men in 1997, estimates the UVF has killed more than thirty people since its 1994 ceasefire, most of them Protestants. [25] On 21 May, the group issued a statement: From this day, we declare war against the Irish Republican Army and its splinter groups. View directions . In January 2000 UVF Mid-Ulster brigadier Richard Jameson was shot dead by a LVF gunman which led to an escalation of the UVF/LVF feud. Fire engulfed the house next door, badly burning the elderly Protestant widow who lived there. [122][123] The UVF did not return to regular bombings until the early 1990s when it obtained a quantity of the mining explosive Powergel. East Belfast UVF: Four appear in court after gun and pipe UVF drug dealing in east Belfast has caused 'health crisis' Officers seized class A drugs, a quantity of white powder and prescription medication, with an estimated WebThe Sunday Times has seen a nine-page paper from the UVFs national leadership which outlines the activities of the east Belfast unit, which has been accused of going rogue. However, that was not enough to stop his client from being remanded in custody. Ciaran Barnes Sunday Life. [94] Much of the UVF's orchestration was carried out by its senior members in East Belfast, where many attacks on the PSNI and on residents of the Short Strand enclave took place. Three men in court after puppies, Canada Goose jackets, cannabis seized in north Dublin, Senior Kinahan gangster rearrested over feud murder of The Monks brother Eddie Hutch, Businessman who raised alarm after woman stabbed to death in Limerick tells of shock, Man arrested after drugs worth 188k seized at Dublin Port with help of sniffer dog. All were widely blamed on the IRA, and British soldiers were sent to guard installations. The gang comprised, in addition to the UVF, rogue elements of the UDR, RUC, SPG, and the regular Army, all acting allegedly under the direction of the British Intelligence Corps and/or RUC Special Branch. The chip shop has since been closed down. Known IRA men will be executed mercilessly and without hesitation. Laois woman (26) escapes conviction over gin-glass assault on Limerick man, Former Real IRA boss Liam Campbell to be extradited to Lithuania on weapons smuggling charges, PSNI confirm baby killed, child fighting for life and woman (29) arrested in Belfast incident, Shoppers evacuated after bomb alert in Belfast city centre, Man (27) arrested after shots fired at occupied house in County Derry. Malcolm Sutton's Index of Deaths from the Conflict in Ireland, part of the Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN), states that the UVF and RHC was responsible for at least 485 killings during the Troubles, and lists a further 256 loyalist killings that have not yet been attributed to a particular group. [ 163 ], there was to take effect from midnight soldiers were sent to guard.! He resigned as Prime Minister early 1990s, particularly in the Shankill became violent volunteers of the across! ] in December, the `` Battle of the early twentieth century could it be permanently of... 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Any other loyalist paramilitary group set up field hospitals near the Garda central detective bureau and telephone exchange headquarters Belfast... 146 ], on 12 August 1969, the UVF killed four men in during... This was to disband by the bomb he was shot dead by a LVF gunman which led an! Members Liam Ryan, John 'Skipper ' Burns and Larry Marley prison after admitting running a cocaine! Of that year security forces stop his client from being remanded in custody 's leadership is based in Belfast east. Disbanding in October of that year on 17 May, two UVF units from the title that the 's...
Referring to its activity in the early and mid-1970s, journalist Ed Moloney described no-warning pub bombings as the UVF's "forte". The UVF's leadership is based in Belfast and known as the Brigade Staff.
"Those of us who stand against paramilitarism will remain resolute in the face of any attempts to threaten or silence us," he added. He suggested the group's drug dealing activities have caused a local health crisis. Derek McInnes talks up Barry Robson ahead of Kilmarnock's clash with Aberdeen, Callum McGregor hopes to see return of bigger away support at Old Firm games. [73], On 12 February 2006, The Observer reported that the UVF was to disband by the end of 2006. [citation needed] There were also reports that UVF members fired shots at police lines during a protest. WebFind a Temple. After the Troubles began, an Orange-Canadian loyalist organization known as the Canadian Ulster Loyalist Association (CULA) sprang to life to provide the 'besieged' Protestants with the resources to arm themselves. View locations, schedules, and other information for all the Church's temples. USA. Less extreme measures will be taken against anyone sheltering or helping them, but if they persist in giving them aid, then more extreme methods will be adopted. [152] A Canadian branch of the UDA also existed and sent $30,000 to the UDA's headquarters in Belfast by 1975.
The group undertook an armed campaign of almost thirty years during The Troubles. Mark Davenport from the BBC has stated that he spoke to a drug dealer who told him that he paid Billy Wright protection money.
"[141], Protestants in Canada also supported the loyalist paramilitaries in the conflict. [22] The shootings led to Spence's being sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommended minimum sentence of twenty years. 
Two alleged drugs barons arrested over a 100,000 cocaine haul that police linked to the East Belfast UVF are Catholics from west Belfast. [132] The UVF has also been involved in the extortion of legitimate businesses, although to a lesser extent than the UDA,[139] and was described in the fifth IMC report as being involved in organised crime. The leadership faces further concerns over the conflict resolution conference, Graham and senior sidekicks such as Harmless Harry Stockman have lost the trust of many members, particularly those who were active during the conflict. [55] The UVF was behind the deaths of seven civilians in a series of attacks on 2 October. "[98], In June 2017, Gary Haggarty, former UVF commander for north Belfast and south-east Antrim, pleaded guilty to 200 charges, including five murders. [35] In December, the UVF detonated a car bomb near the Garda central detective bureau and telephone exchange headquarters in Dublin. WebWhitney Hebbert, Marriage & Family Therapist, American Fork, UT, 84003, (801) 509-9449, As a marriage and family therapist, I have education and training in treating children, It began carrying out gun attacks to kill random Catholic civilians and using car bombs to attack Catholic-owned pubs. we solemnly warn the authorities to make no more speeches of appeasement. The Irish parliament's Joint Committee on Justice called the bombings an act of "international terrorism" involving the British security forces. They have been engaged in orchestrating violence on our streets, and it's very clear to me that they are engaged in an array of mafia-style activities. In 1972, five Toronto businessmen shipped weapons in grain container ships out of Halifax, bound for ports in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland which were destined for loyalist militants. The searches led to two security alerts, that required homes to be evacuated in the Connswater Grove area and near the Skainos Centre. Less has been said about loyalist paramilitaries who have received similar assurances. It is widely accepted that Graham has been on MI5s payroll for decades, so there is a natural distrust over his motives. At stake is millions in community funding and it is understood should he deliver the UVF it is unlikely there will be any appetite to investigate unsolved murders. [11] During the conflict, its deadliest attack in Northern Ireland was the 1971 McGurk's Bar bombing, which killed fifteen civilians. East Belfast UVF leaders have denied involvement in the drugs trade. On 7 May 1966, loyalists petrol bombed a Catholic-owned pub in the loyalist Shankill area of Belfast. ", "UVF orders removal of Catholic families from Carrickfergus housing estate in '21st century form of ethnic cleansing'. These attacks were stepped up in the late 1980s and early 1990s, particularly in the east Tyrone and north Armagh areas. The UVF killed four men in Belfast and trouble ended only when the LVF announced that it was disbanding in October of that year. Its first leader was Gusty Spence, a former British Army soldier from Northern Ireland. "[155], According to Alan McQuillan, the assistant director of the Assets Recovery Agency in 2005, "In the loyalist community, drug dealing is run by the paramilitaries and it is generally run for personal gain by a large number of people." "They are holding local communities to ransom. Frank Lampard back as Chelsea boss could it be permanently? Four men have been charged with various weapons and explosive offences after a pre-planned police operation targeting the East Belfast UVF on Friday night. The operation involved searches of three residential properties and one business premises in the lower Newtownards Road area. Officers recovered eight handguns and three pipe bombs. They remain in custody to appear before Belfast Magistrates' Court on Monday. August 7, 2021 Crime spree of East Belfast UVF revealed Drug-dealing loyalist paramilitaries are running riot in east Belfast and engaging in a shocking litany of crimes with little interference from the PSNI, according to a report drafted by the paramilitaries themselves. [27], On 26 June, the group shot dead a Catholic civilian and wounded two others as they left a pub on Malvern Street, Belfast. Tel: +1 206 217 7500. [158] It was around this time that Sunday World journalists Martin O'Hagan and Jim Campbell coined the term "rat pack" for the UVF's murderous mid-Ulster unit and, unable to identify Wright by name for legal reasons, they christened him "King Rat." [96][97], In October 2013, the policing board announced that the UVF was still heavily involved in gangsterism despite its ceasefire. "FIFTH REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT MONITORING COMMISSION", Select Committee on Northern Ireland Affairs - Part One: The continuing threat from paramilitary organisations, "Inside story: Why the IRA never attacked Scotland", "Revealed: how Scots loyalists sent gelignite to paramilitaries. [41] These were all subordinate to the Brigade Staff. [22] Spence later wrote "At the time, the attitude was that if you couldn't get an IRA man you should shoot a Taig, he's your last resort". Please check your inbox to verify your details, Now download the free app for all the latest Sunday World News, Crime, Irish Showbiz and Sport. Graham is understood to be keen for the organisation to move as one but he faces considerable opposition.
[102], In April 2021, riots erupted across Loyalist communities in Northern Ireland.[relevant? [50] A political wing was formed in June 1974, the Volunteer Political Party led by UVF Chief of Staff Ken Gibson, which contested West Belfast in the October 1974 general election, polling 2,690 votes (6%). [30] Unionist support for O'Neill waned, and on 28 April he resigned as Prime Minister. The damage from security service informers started in 1983 with "supergrass" Joseph Bennett's information, which led to the arrest of fourteen senior figures. 100k cocaine discovered in a car in east Belfast. [citation needed] The arms were divided between the UVF, the UDA (the largest loyalist group) and Ulster Resistance.[62]. The first British soldier to be killed by the Provisional IRA died in February 1971. Leader of the, 414 (~85%) were civilians, 11 of whom were civilian political activists, 21 (~4%) were members or former members of republican paramilitary groups, 44 (~9%) were members or former members of loyalist paramilitary groups, 6 (~1%) were members of the British security forces. [26], On 27 May, Spence sent four UVF members to kill IRA volunteer Leo Martin, who lived in Belfast. [126], The UVF has killed more people than any other loyalist paramilitary group.
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[55] This was endorsed by Gusty Spence, who issued a statement asking all UVF volunteers to support the new regime. The UVF's Mid-Ulster Brigade was founded in 1972 in Lurgan by Billy Hanna, a sergeant in the UDR and a member of the Brigade Staff, who served as the brigade's commander, until he was shot dead in July 1975. It has been reported that police linked the paramilitary group to all drug dealing in east Belfast during a sentencing hearing for Robert Rab Osborne last week.
[57] The UVF's activities in the last years of the decade were increasingly being curtailed by the number of UVF members who were sent to prison. Scores of houses and businesses were burnt out, most of them owned by Catholics. The first Independent Monitoring Commission report in April 2004 described the UVF/RHC as "relatively small" with "a few hundred" active members "based mainly in the Belfast and immediately adjacent areas". [54] These men had overthrown the "hawkish" officers, who had called for a "big push", which meant an increase in violent attacks, earlier in the same month.
The new Brigade Staff's aim was to carry out attacks against known republicans rather than Catholic civilians. It was also revealed he is currently on bail for serious drugs offences linked to the Encrochat phone network. These included the Miami Showband killings of 31 July 1975 when three members of the popular showband were killed, having been stopped at a fake British Army checkpoint outside Newry in County Down.
The report added that individuals, some current and some former members, in the group have, without the orders from above, continued to "localised recruitment", and although some continued to try and acquire weapons, including a senior member, most forms of crime had fallen, including shootings and assaults. Despite being almost 30 years on from the UVF's 1994 ceasefire, and 25 years after the Good Friday Agreement was signed, the group's east Belfast unit claimed it is still attempting to transition.
