Post by Harry on Apr 25, 2007 13:25:00 GMT
Loyalists 'risk staying in past'
The IMC issued its 15th report
Loyalist paramilitaries must abandon criminality or risk being "left behind", Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has warned.
It follows an Independent Monitoring Commission finding that UDA and UVF members were still involved in crime.
The paramilitary watchdog said it was time for the UVF leadership to show courage to point it in a new direction.
The commissioners said the Provisional IRA has not engaged in any terrorist or crime since its last report.
However, they warned that dissident republican groups such as the Real IRA, Continuity IRA and Oglaigh na hEireann continued to pose a threat.
This latest report, the IMC's 15th, covers the three-month period from December 2006 to February 2007.
I think it's very important that loyalism gets in to the mainstream because otherwise it will get left behind
Peter Hain
NI secretary
It found that while the UDA did not engage in terrorist, racial or sectarian violence, senior members were involved in black market activity.
UDA members also took part in extortion, drug dealing and loan sharking, the commissioners found, although they noted signs that such activity was beginning to drop off in some areas.
On the UVF, the commission said it was not involved in terrorist activity and had tried to address the problem of racial crime during the period under review.
While the UVF did not carry out robberies or attempt to acquire weapons, the commission noted: "Individual members were involved in serious crime, mainly for personal gain, including extortion and counterfeiting.
"There has, however, been further evidence of a reduction in the amount of drug dealing by members, in terms of both its scale and geographical spread."
The UVF leadership, the commissioners said, was keen to reduce the size of the organisation and to restructure it.
The IMC believes the Loyalist Volunteer Force is now a criminal concern involved in drug dealing and counterfeit money, using the proceeds of crime for personal gain.
'Gangsterism'
Mr Hain told the Commons: "Gangsterism and the remnants of paramilitary activity amongst loyalist groups including the UDA are completely unacceptable.
"I think it's very important that loyalism gets in to the mainstream because otherwise it will get left behind.
"And the last thing that loyalist community needs is to be further isolated because there are those within it who cling to the past.
"I am clear that the leadership of both the UVF and UDA want to move their communities into a better future to follow the transformation in the political and security situation in Northern Ireland, but there are still elements that don't."
The IMC issued its 15th report
Loyalist paramilitaries must abandon criminality or risk being "left behind", Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has warned.
It follows an Independent Monitoring Commission finding that UDA and UVF members were still involved in crime.
The paramilitary watchdog said it was time for the UVF leadership to show courage to point it in a new direction.
The commissioners said the Provisional IRA has not engaged in any terrorist or crime since its last report.
However, they warned that dissident republican groups such as the Real IRA, Continuity IRA and Oglaigh na hEireann continued to pose a threat.
This latest report, the IMC's 15th, covers the three-month period from December 2006 to February 2007.
I think it's very important that loyalism gets in to the mainstream because otherwise it will get left behind
Peter Hain
NI secretary
It found that while the UDA did not engage in terrorist, racial or sectarian violence, senior members were involved in black market activity.
UDA members also took part in extortion, drug dealing and loan sharking, the commissioners found, although they noted signs that such activity was beginning to drop off in some areas.
On the UVF, the commission said it was not involved in terrorist activity and had tried to address the problem of racial crime during the period under review.
While the UVF did not carry out robberies or attempt to acquire weapons, the commission noted: "Individual members were involved in serious crime, mainly for personal gain, including extortion and counterfeiting.
"There has, however, been further evidence of a reduction in the amount of drug dealing by members, in terms of both its scale and geographical spread."
The UVF leadership, the commissioners said, was keen to reduce the size of the organisation and to restructure it.
The IMC believes the Loyalist Volunteer Force is now a criminal concern involved in drug dealing and counterfeit money, using the proceeds of crime for personal gain.
'Gangsterism'
Mr Hain told the Commons: "Gangsterism and the remnants of paramilitary activity amongst loyalist groups including the UDA are completely unacceptable.
"I think it's very important that loyalism gets in to the mainstream because otherwise it will get left behind.
"And the last thing that loyalist community needs is to be further isolated because there are those within it who cling to the past.
"I am clear that the leadership of both the UVF and UDA want to move their communities into a better future to follow the transformation in the political and security situation in Northern Ireland, but there are still elements that don't."