Latest news with #AaronEdwards
Sunday World
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sunday World
UVF following in the footsteps of Provisional IRA by scaling down to ‘skeletal' size
'For the past few weeks, whispers have emerged that the UVF and other loyalist paramilitaries were going to make a big announcement at some point in the autumn.' By reducing its ranks to a 'skeletal' size, the UVF is following in the footsteps of the Provisional IRA, a senior loyalist source has said. He was speaking after historian Dr Aaron Edwards revealed earlier this month that the UVF leadership is close to brokering a deal with the British government which would see the loyalist terror group issue a 'General Order of Disbandment'. Author of the book UVF: Behind the Mask and viewed as an expert on loyalism, Newtownabbey-born Dr Edwards claims the UVF leadership want to retain an elite of military members who will act as protectors of the organisation, as it continues its journey to a peaceful society in Northern Ireland. A senior lecturer at Sandhurst Military College, Dr Edwards said retained UVF members could be styled a 'veterans association', but in reality it will be more like a 'close protection team' for senior members. And he was backed last night by a senior loyalist source who insisted the UVF was working from a blueprint devised by the Provisional IRA. Former UVF leader Gusty Spence along with William Smyth, Gary McMichael, David Irvine and David Adams. News in 90 Seconds - Saturday July 12 'If you don't believe the Provos still exist then cast your mind back ten years to the murder of former IRA man Kevin McGuigan, who was shot dead outside his home in the Short Strand. Everyone now knows he was killed by the Provos,' he said. He added: 'It's at times like this that paramilitary leaders are most vulnerable from a range of enemies – both outside and from within. The retention of military capability and personnel is simply an insurance policy.' Eight years ago the Sunday World revealed that representatives of all paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland were asked to meet with senior security personnel at a venue off Belfast's Springfield Road. They were briefed about government policy on criminality linked to loyalist and republican organisations. Aaron Edwards. And they were warned the authorities were well aware of the identity of those involved in illegal activity and it would be only a matter of time before the PSNI moved against them. Dr Edwards said he saw Friday's developments as a continuation of that policy. Speaking to the Sunday World from his office at Sandhurst, he said: 'We shouldn't forget that meeting in west Belfast, because that's where all this began. Ordinary people want to live in a normal society. 'For the past few weeks, whispers have emerged that the UVF and other loyalist paramilitaries were going to make a big announcement at some point in the autumn. 'But at that time I didn't believe any move would be made towards disbandment. For me, it would have seemed very unusual, given how deeply these organisations had become bedded in local communities. 'However, a movement has emerged from the bottom of the paramilitary groups and in particular the UVF in certain areas, where people are saying they've had enough of criminality and there is no reason for loyalist paramilitary groups to exist any longer. 'And there is clearly an ongoing process from the top down to negotiate with the UVF leadership. It is my understanding this has been ongoing since 2017. 'So this week, we've seen the skeletal details of this emerging about what that might look like. It's clear the terminology is very militaristic. And that would suggest to me that these things that are being talked about are accurate. 'However, given that the UVF is a top-down organisation, the foot soldiers are always the last to know, so it will be interesting to see how this works its way down through the ranks and across different areas.' Dr Edwards said. He added: 'It's my understanding that this direction of travel has been set for some time. And it may bring us forward to a different phase, but whether it brings about complete disbandment of the UVF, remains to be seen.' Formed in November 1965, the modern-day UVF brought the gun back into Northern Ireland politics with the shooting of three Catholic barmen the following June. The group had been enjoying an after-hours pint in the Malvern Arms pub in the Shankill area of Belfast. And as the were leaving they were caught in a hail of gunfire as soon as they stepped out onto the street around 2.15am. UVF leader, Gusty Spence – a former member of the Royal Ulster Rifles – was jailed for life along with other members of the organisation, which was immediately proscribed by the then Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, Captain Terence O'Neill. During its 30-year campaign, the UVF went on to kill more than 500 people during the Troubles, carrying out many massacres of innocent Catholics, including those mutilated by the Shankill Butchers.
Sunday World
7 days ago
- Politics
- Sunday World
UVF leadership launches witch-hunt for mole leaking false ‘plans for transition'
Paramilitary sources have told the Sunday World the claims 'are for the birds' Paramilitary sources, reacting to the latest speculation surrounding UVF conditions for the terror group to move away from criminality, have told the Sunday World the claims 'are for the birds'. And security sources have rubbished any prospect of the government rubber-stamping plans that would allow the UVF to retain a 240-strong armed 'close protection team'. The UVF has been locked in negotiations with the government over a number of years in an attempt to hammer out conditions in which they could honour repeated pledges to stand down. They have come under increasing pressure in recent months, with the government and security services running out of patience. In his latest post on social media, author and historian Dr Aaron Edwards said the terror group is close to agreeing a General Order of Disbandment. And that would include what Dr Edwards has described as a 'praetorian guard'' of 30 to 40 volunteers in each area who would be armed and act as close protection for high-ranking UVF leaders. He referenced a leading member of the organisation as asserting such a body of men would be needed to deal with 'criminality'' in loyalist areas. But the proposal has been described has 'fanciful'' by loyalist and security sources. 'It's incredibly detailed,' said our source, 'and very specific, not even the most optimistic and dedicated UVF man would believe that the government would allow to keep their own armed 'police force'.' The source – who has intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the UVF – said only a handful of people from Chief-of-Staff John 'Bunter' Graham down would have any knowledge of the content of discussions with British government representatives. As previously reported, it is known that a sizeable number of UVF members and sections of the UDA have been negotiating a pathway out of the paramilitaries, but they do not represent the entirety of the organisations. They are believed to be close to agreeing the terms of their transition but their priority in discussions has been to maintain the flow of public money into community-based jobs – many of which are occupied by paramilitary members – and immunity from prosecution for historical crimes. In February it was announced that the British and Irish governments were to jointly appoint 'an Independent Expert to carry out a short scoping and engagement exercise to assess whether there is merit in, and support for, a formal process of engagement to bring about paramilitary group transition to disbandment. This will include examining what could be in scope of such a formal process'. Lord Alderdice, the former Alliance Party leader who was chair of the Independent Monitoring Commission, said talks about loyalist transition should stop. 'A halt should be called, and you can't call a halt now sooner than today,' he said. 'There comes a point when you have to say no, this hasn't been delivered.' This week Dr Edwards, who has written a book on the UVF and who broke the news that former UVF commander Winston 'Winkie' Irvine had been court-martialled and stood down in the wake of his conviction on arms charges, said the details were an attempt to put the organsation in 'cold storage'. 'I have been told how the UVF Brigade Staff has explicitly requested the retention of 30-40 active 'volunteers' in each of their 'battalion areas' to act as a 'Praetorian Guard' — or 'Close Protection team' in security parlance — for its more prominent members,' he wrote. There are six UVF 'brigade' areas which would mean the government would have to agree to a 240-strong armed militia to act as a vigilante army to protect the organisation's ageing leadership. The Sunday World understands a sticking point in discussions are calls for the UVF to be de-proscribed so that the name can continue to be used legally at memorial and other events. And also in the naming of veterans clubs, the complication being that those who will continue to use the UVF name as a cover for their involvement in drugs and other crimes. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, SDLP MLA Matthew O'Toole said: 'Without wishing to comment in detail on what are only second-hand reports, it should be obvious that any process of disbandment which involves the continuation of armed structures of any kind would by definition not be disbandment.' The UUP's Doug Beattie said: 'Any pledge from the UVF to completely disband is welcome. The reality being they should have disbanded many years ago, indeed they should never have existed in their terrorist form. 'However, any notion that 40-60 active UVF members, per brigade, should be retained to act as some kind of close protection for former senior UVF leaders is just ridiculous. 'The UVF need to disband and in doing so allow communities and its membership to leave the intimidation, drug dealing, prostitution and money laundering behind. 'Any notion that the UKG would allow an armed militia to continue with some random title or societal role in law enforcement is a farcical concept. 'I hope the UVF have the courage to issue a general disbandment order, but it cannot be conditional in any way.' Armed UVF men on the streets of Belfast during the Troubles Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 8th
