Latest news with #loyalist
BBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
'Loyalist paramilitary transitioning has failed' ex-watchdog says
The process aimed at disbanding loyalist paramilitary groups has failed, a former security watchdog has told BBC Northern Ireland's Spotlight Alderdice, the former Alliance Party leader who was a member of the Independent Monitoring Commission, said talks about loyalist transition should was responding to the arrest and conviction on firearms charges of Winston Irvine, who worked as an interlocutor with the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC), which represents mainstream loyalist groups.A senior LCC source told Spotlight that loyalist transition is on course to be concluded this autumn, with an announcement of the complete dismantling of all paramilitary structures. Irvine, of Ballysillan Road in north Belfast, was a well-known community worker before being given a two and a half year sentence over guns and ammunition found in the boot of his car in Public Prosecution Service (PPS) is appealing the sentence for being "unduly lenient".Irvine's conviction has returned attention to loyalist funding and paramilitary up in 2015, the LCC says it represents a loyalist leadership committed to transition, the scaling back of criminality and ultimately disbandment.A source in the organisation told Spotlight that Winston Irvine has been instrumental in moving the mainstream Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) away from criminality, and that a final push for loyalist transition is imminent. Lord Alderdice spent seven years on the Independent Monitoring Commission, which was given access to secret intelligence to report on paramilitary activities, before it was wound up in said the transition process is "not working". "A halt should be called, and you can't call a halt now sooner than today."There comes a point when you have to say no, this hasn't been delivered."It's not going to be delivered. And, actually, by continuing we are making it worse."Lord Alderdice told the programme he does not believe the loyalist paramilitaries are making a genuine effort to transition away from criminality."What I've seen is more talking about transition, and transformation, and no doubt with an invoice provided, for how much money is needed to be made available from public services in order to pay off these people." Cathy McIlvenny's sister, Lorraine, was murdered by UDA members in previously told Spotlight, in 2013, that she dealt with Winston Irvine when he arranged a punishment shooting of her nephew, Craig, in believes the sentence given to Irvine is not enough, and says loyalist paramilitaries will continue as long as funding is still available."They're just being given money to keep them quiet and make it look to the rest of the world now that the British government has solved the Northern Ireland problem."But, it hasn't. It's made it worse for the communities."In 2013 it was alleged to Spotlight that Winston Irvine was a UVF leader, something which he has denied as "preposterous". No explanation was given in court as to why Irvine and his co-accused had the the arrest, police discovered UVF paraphernalia in Irvine's home, and that of his co-accused Robin in sentencing, Judge Gordon Kerr KC concluded the movement of weapons had not been directly connected to terrorism.54-year-old, Workman, of Shore Road in Larne, was sentenced to five years - the minimum custodial sentence, which the PPS said it would not be guns were found by covert police six weeks after a hoax bomb, which targeted a peace event in Belfast attended by then Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney in March said UVF involvement in the hoax attack was a primary line of inquiry. Prior to his arrest and conviction, Winston Irvine spent more than a decade as a paid community role gave him access to high-level contacts and enhanced his credibility as a peace 49-year-old, who received a number of supportive character references during the case, provided a pre-prepared statement in which he claimed to be a "trusted interlocutor" in community relations and the peace his arrest sent shock waves through the British and Irish governments because of how they often rely on community workers to engage with loyalist his arrest, Irvine was suspended from his role at the north Belfast community group Intercomm Ireland, in line with its internal disciplinary left the organisation several months said it was "difficult to convey the impact" the case had on its team who were "shocked, disappointed and felt let down" by Winston Irvine's actions.A statement added that "significant reorganisation (was) required to continue to deliver on our commitments to projects and fulfil obligations to funders and to the community".But Irvine continued to work on funded projects in unionist and loyalist areas while on bail for the weapons charges.
BreakingNews.ie
5 days ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
SDLP calls for ‘clarity' over involvement of loyalist paramilitaries in disorder
The SDLP has called for public clarity over any involvement of loyalist paramilitaries in rioting in Northern Ireland. The official opposition party at Stormont has said it will also 'demand a clear, co-ordinated response from the Executive' to the violence. Advertisement In total, 64 police officers have been injured in disturbances that started on Monday after a peaceful protest over an alleged sexual assault in Ballymena and later spread to other areas. The SDLP's Stormont leader Matthew O'Toole said the party will write to PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher and the Independent Reporting Commission to 'request public clarity on the involvement of loyalist paramilitaries, either formally or informally, in the violence of the last week'. Mr O'Toole said they would also be asking the police chief about other surges in racially motivated violence, including last summer's riots in Belfast. He said: 'The violence we have seen over the past week has shamed this society. Advertisement 'Words of condemnation are important, and shamefully, certain unionist politicians have found it impossible to even offer condemnation without equivocation or double talk. 'Now the real test of our devolved institutions is whether they can act on the heinous events of the past week.' He added: 'Will we see the Finance Minister work with the Justice Minister to increase PSNI numbers beyond simply the short-term additional funding promised in recent days? 'Will the Justice Minister move to update our outdated hate crime laws, something she said was a priority but has seen no progress since Stormont returned? Advertisement 'When exactly do the First Ministers plan to engage seriously on the epidemic of race hate we are seeing in Northern Ireland given their responsibilities for good relations and racial equality?' Mr O'Toole said he would also be 'insisting on clear accountability' for Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, who has been criticised for a social media post sent hours ahead of an arson attack on Larne Leisure Centre. Mr Lyons has resisted calls for his resignation, stating that the use of the leisure centre to temporarily house families which had fled the violence in Ballymena was already in the public domain before his post. The SDLP has referred the post to the Assembly Standards Commissioner to investigate if a breach of the ministerial code has taken place. Mr O'Toole said: 'The Executive cannot simply let the events of the past week slide by with the kind of inaction and passivity which has become their trademark. 'People's lives are at stake and the SDLP Opposition will be pressing for meaningful action to protect those people and tackle hate in our society.'
BBC News
28-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Investigation into Belfast murder of Peter Gallagher 'inadequate'
The police investigation into the loyalist murder of a man in west Belfast in 1993 was "wholly inadequate" and failed his family, the Police Ombudsman has Gallagher, a 44-year-old father of seven from Toomebridge, County Antrim, was shot by a UFF gunman while arriving for work at the Westlink Enterprise Centre shortly before 8am on 24 March Anderson said her investigation found there were a total of 12 people who should have been of interest to the murder investigation, but none were she added that her enquiries had found no intelligence that, if acted upon by police, could have prevented Mr Gallagher's murder. Mrs Anderson found that the 12 suspects were linked by "significant, and on occasion corroborative, intelligence and other information".She also criticised the police decision to cease surveillance of members of the UDA/UFF two days before the murder, despite multiple intelligence and other reports indicating the group were actively planning three days of surveillance being paused on 22 March 1993 - when police resources were reallocated in response to intelligence about IRA activity - the Shankill-based 'C Company' unit of the UDA/UFF had murdered Mr Gallagher and, in a separate attack the following day, 17-year-old Damien Walsh, the report the time surveillance of C Company members resumed on 30 March 1993, they had also attempted to murder two other people."I found no evidence that during this time police had reconsidered their decision to cease surveillance of 'C Company' members, despite the murders of Mr Gallagher and Damien Walsh, and mounting intelligence about other planned attacks," Mrs Anderson Police Ombudsman said was there no evidence that security forces provided information to paramilitaries to facilitate the attack. Mr Gallagher was hit multiple times by shots fired from an area of grass behind fencing overlooking the back of the Westlink Enterprise Centre, and backing onto the nearby dual UFF admitted responsibility and police received information indicating the attack had been carried out by members of 'C Company'.Mrs Anderson said the initial police response to Mr Gallagher's murder had been appropriate and comprehensive in nature.A bicycle suspected to have been used by the gunman was found near a footbridge across the Westlink near Roden Street.A 9mm Browning pistol wrapped in a balaclava was recovered near the scene of the attack, and scenes of crime examination recovered 10 empty cartridge cases, three bullet heads as well as soil and grass enquiries were undertaken, and vehicle checkpoints were conducted on both lanes of the Westlink the following morning. These enquiries identified a number of witnesses, and more than 50 statements were obtained from members of the public, police officers, expert witnesses and medical the day of Mr Gallagher's murder, police conducted searches of the homes of two men. A number of items were seized during one of the searches - including three balaclavas, a coat with surgical gloves in the pocket, and a plastic bag of on the items found no link to the Mrs Anderson said it was difficult to understand why - as the murder investigation progressed and intelligence and other information coalesced around three primary suspects - they had not been has been convicted over either the murder of Mr Gallagher or of Mr Walsh.
Washington Post
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
Broadway shows keep the Kennedy Center going. But will they stay away?
'Heart numbing,' 'nightmare' and 'an 'oh, no' moment' are some of the ways top Broadway insiders have described President Donald Trump's takeover of the Kennedy Center. Shortly before installing a loyalist board in February, the soon-to-be chairman of the institution declared on social media, 'THE BEST IS YET TO COME!' But conversations I've had with a dozen industry leaders over the past few months reveal an uncertain future for the center's theater programming.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- BBC News
Winston Irvine jailed for firearm offences
The high-profile loyalist Winston Irvine who previously admitted a range of firearm and ammunition offences has been given a 30-month 49-year-old of Ballysillan Road in north Belfast will spend half of that in custody and half on Belfast Crown Court, his co-accused Robin Workman, 54, of Shore Road, Larne was also sentenced to five years; half to be served on men previously pleaded guilty to possessing firearms and ammunition in suspicious circumstances. They also admitted two counts of possessing a handgun without a certificate, possessing a prohibited weapon and possessing a firearm without a further pleaded guilty to possessing an air rifle without a the offences were committed on 8 June 2022.A previous court hearing was told that police said Workman transported a quantity of weapons and ammunition to the Glencairn area of Belfast in his van which police believed were then put into the boot of Irvine's Tiguan car.A short time later Irvine's vehicle was stopped by police in Disraeli Street.A long-barrelled firearm, two suspected pistols, several magazines and a large quantity of ammunition were discovered inside a holdall in the made no comment during police provided a prepared statement claiming: "I have developed a reputation as a trusted interlocutor engaging with the community on key outstanding issues in relation to the NI peace and political process." No connection to terrorism, court told During sentencing Judge Gordon Kerr KC said Mr Irvine pleaded guilty to possessing the weapons in suspicious circumstances but declined to give any explanation to police or the he said he did not consider it to be connected to terrorism."The prosecution accepts there is no such evidence."The judge said he did not consider it proper to impose the statutory minimum sentence for five years and that "the sentence should reflect the defendant's circumstances"."I'm obliged to consider if the defendant is dangerous. There are no examples on his record" he judge said he considered previous references which described Irvine's "character and long-term commitment to peace building in Northern Ireland".References had been provided by former policing board member Deborah Watters and Loyalist Communities Council Chair David Campbell at earlier court court was told Mr Irvine had worked with the highest levels of government and that he had "devoted most of his adult life to peace".Judge Kerr KC said he also considered that the weapons had been described by the defence as "low grade" that were not to be used in terrorist sentencing Robin Workman, the judge said he had no doubt the defendant is highly thought of by those who had given references and there was no history of offending or causing serious he added "there is no evidence of any exceptional circumstances" and that the statutory minimum sentence must be imposed."I consider there is no basis on which parity with Irvine must be appropriate," he said. Both men were led from the dock in handcuffs into custody.
