Distretto Nord

Andre Shoukri potrebbe essere il nuovo Mad Dog

Shoukri could be another Mad Dog

The most senior UDA figure in the North said this week he is “apprehensive” about the release of expelled brigadier Andre Shoukri for fear he could lead a splinter group of loyalists to rival dissident republicans.

Speaking to the North Belfast News in the week the Ulster Defence Association announced that it has put all its weapons beyond use, Jackie McDonald – widely regarded as the leader of the organisation’s inner council – said that ousted loyalist Shoukri “will not be the type to put his feet up and watch Coronation Street” when he is released from prison later this year.

Shoukri once held one of the most senior leadership positions in the UDA as its North Belfast chief. But the paramilitary group later expelled him and his brother, Ihab, who died in November 2008 of a suspected drugs overdose.

The son of an Egyptian father and Irish mother, Westland estate raised Shoukri will be released from Maghaberry later in 2010. He is currently serving a nine year sentence on a total of 18 charges including the blackmailing of managers of a North Belfast bar beginning in June 2004. Other charges included intimidation and acquiring and using criminal property.

Last year Shoukri pledged to hand over all UDA weapons under his control, however Jackie McDonald said he would not rule out the possibility Shoukri could return to his paramilitary past.

“I’ve said it before, he isn’t clever enough to be a danger but he is certainly stupid enough,” he said.

“There will be criminal elements in the area involved in drug dealing and other things who may be looking for a figurehead. I would be apprehensive because there are good fellas working hard in North Belfast and I am concerned about what could happen.

“He isn’t the type of fella that could sit up and watch Coronation Street. He could be another version of (Johnny) Adair, his ego will demand he stays in the spotlight.”

Jackie McDonald also added that Tuesday’s decommissioning announcement is a “momentous occasion” particularly for the Protestant working class communities in North Belfast such as Tiger’s Bay and Mount Vernon.

“North Belfast went through an awful lot and there are people like John Bunting and Harry Smith who are doing so much work to make North Belfast a better place and this announcement will make it easier for other people to come on board.

“This is in no way cash for guns, it is a momentous occasion. There is serious deprivation in loyalist communities in North Belfast and there are many people involved in community politics doing a lot of good work to help these communities. The decommissioning will only add to this.”

However the news of the decommissioning has not been welcomed by all. Relatives for Justice (RFJ) which represents families across the North who lost a loved one during the conflict said they are “not interested” in decommissioning only that they get to the truth behind the murders of those killed by the UDA.

“The UDA/UFF were armed by British Military Intelligence through Brian Nelson with imported weapons from South Africa in 1987/8,” they said.

“These weapons have been used to kill hundreds of people. Families are not interested in UDA/UFF decommissioning – they want the truth about collusion between these same loyalists, how they were armed, infiltrated, directed and controlled to carry out hundreds of sectarian killings and political assassinations by MI5 and RUC Special Branch with the full sanction of Whitehall and Downing Street.”

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René Querin

Di professione grafico e web designer, sono appassionato di trekking e innamorato dell'Irlanda e della sua storia. Insieme ad Andrea Varacalli ho creato e gestisco Les Enfants Terribles.

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