UDA ceasefire ‘was strained’
A DIRECT strike against the Protestant community in Londonderry by dissident republicans could have ended the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) ceasefire in the region, the Sentinel can reveal.
In an interview with this newspaper, three UDA members also highlighted that the murders of two soldiers at Masserene Barracks and a police officer at Craigavon in March this strained the disicipline of members of the North Antrim and Londonderry Brigade of the UDA to breaking point.
According to the men, ‘many hours of discussion’ took place in the aftermath of the killings. But, after the realisation that the Real IRA were attempting to ‘goad’ loyalists into a response, the ‘line’ was held both at brigade command and ‘footsoldier’ level.
The three, who wish to remain unidentified, also unanimously rubbished press speculation that a split has formed between the UDA in this region and the rest of Northern Ireland. All three also stated that in fact unity within the UDA has never been so strong in this region.
The men stated that tensions have been heightened recently with the spotting of known dissident republicans in loyalist districts. One of the men, a former prisoner who served life said: “If the Real IRA bring loyalists back into it, we will react. But, we want to live in peace with our families.”
Another of the UDA men expressed a personal viewpoint and said: “If anyone had hurt any of my friends in Londonderry, I would react badly to it.”
This man stated that both the police and the Real IRA anticipated a ‘strike back’ from loyalism after soldiers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey and PSNI officer Stephen O’Carroll were shot dead: “It was hard to get people to hold the line but we have a strong and disciplined command who listened to the brigadier. We have a very strong organisation who will do what they are told,” he said.
