Ulster's Twin Forces
by Jim Dee
ULSTER'S TWIN FORCES
From the Andersonstown News (West Belfast)
August 22, 1992
U.S. reporter Jim Dee has been talking to members of the Loyalist paramilitary groups UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) and the UFF (Ulster Freedom Fighters). The interviews were conducted separately at different locations on the Shankill Road and took place before the recent banning of the UDA (Ulster Defense Association). They provide an extraordinary insight into the mentality and the tactics of the overhauled loyalist killer gangs whose actions have reached a level of barbarism and ferocity unseen since the 1970's.
Ulster Volunteer Force
Q: How big is the UVF?
A: The organization does not divulge numbers, weaponry or anything like that. Let's just say we have enough to meet the need. The organization doesn't need to advertise its needs. In the current situation you might get an influx, but not as much as, say, the time of the Hunger Strike. We could increase our numbers two to three times, no problem. But we're also trying to maintain a higher level of operations. We have enough sophisticated weaponry to meet the need, obviously. The supergrass {informer} trials exposed a lot of shortcomings. Now we're organized along similar lines to the Provos {IRA}, with a cell structure. But again, the organization does not divulge numbers.
Q: How does the UVF differ from the Ulster Defense Association (UDA)?
A: They're not that different. At one stage, the UDA flirted with the idea of an independent Ulster, the UVF never went down that road. The UVF is very committed to the union, the British link. Not to say than some individuals within the UVF would favour an independent Ulster, but the organization does not. Still, hypothetically, I could see it in the near future. We're still very much in favour of the link--we're British. But if Britain withdraws, then the UVF would have to look toward independence.
Q: Recently, an ex-UVF member told me that people in the loyalist community are "pissed off" at the UDA/UFF over recent killings, and that they're viewed as "mad dogs without a leash." Would you agree with that statement?
A: No, I don't view it that way. There's been a younger element that has come to the fore in the UFF. Most of the targets seem legitimate, with the odd exception. Under the old leadership there was not much activity, in a military sense, they seemed more interested in self-preservation. The present leadership seems more committed to taking the fight to the enemy and not just sitting back. But we have quite close relations with them. At times, you'll get the odd, occasional flare-up, differences. But you get that in the British Army.
Q: The UVF claimed responsibility for the killing of Terry McConnville in Portadown. It was reported that "security sources" backed the family's claims that he had no connection with any paramilitary group. Are loyalist paramilitaries increasing random sectarian attacks?
A: The UVF does not operate a policy of sectarian killings. See out there on the Shankill Road? Right now, literally hundreds of catholics are working on building sites. If the UVF was intent on killing catholics, we could do it easily.
If we were a sectarian organization, we could do so on a daily basis. If we were sectarian, why go into the heart of a republican area to carry out a sectarian killing? Why put our members ar risk, going through the security forces?
Q: There have been many allegations that the UVF operated with the collusion of the security forces.
A: Absolutely not. Again an individual could, but i have no doubt that republicans have contacts within the security forces as well. I would not dispute the fact that the security forces would be sympathetic to loyalist paramilitaries. But, in the make-up of the security forces, I would say loyalist involvement is minimal. Whenever there is a killing in republican areas, Sinn Finn cries about the security forces not doing their job. But the same people who cry, attack a bar a couple of yards down the road here, where two men were killed, and get away! That couldn't happen in republican areas. Teebane is proof that we're not sectarian--we did not retaliate. {Teebane refers a village in Co. Tyrone where in 1991 the IRA blew up a van containing 8 Protestant workers who were rebuilding a British Army post. The IRA considers workers and companies engaged in work for the British Army or Police as legitimate targets. In February 1992, five people were killed at a betting shop on the nationalist lower Ormeau Road, Belfast. The Loyalist death squad responsible for this claimed it was in retailiation for Teebane. eugene}. There was a move within the organizations to retaliate. But when the right targets present themselves, we will retaliate. Our intelligence is good, very much so. There is no sectarian policy in the UVF, and that is from the highest level.
Q: What is your view of the Brooke talks? How do you the prospect of republican participation?
A: We hoped that the talks would be fruitful. That's why we called a ceasefire, for six weeks, to help facilitate the talks. But the IRA only intensified their campaign. The UVF has no contact with republicans. Until such time as the IRA call a ceasefire for a reasonable period of time, the UVF will not engage in any negotiations with republicans, not while they carry on their campaign of violence. Now, the SDLP does not condone violence, although at the end of the day their objective may be the same, we wouldn't deny that, but they'll work within the law. But what {Sinn Fein leader Gerry} Adams portrays to the public is quite different from what he says to his own people. I don't recognize any difference between Sinn Fein and the IRA. There is no difference. THat being said, I also think all loyalist politicians have failed the protestant people . They have been more interested in themselves, and in their own powerbase. Things like the cost of living and unemployment are completely forgotten about; the DUP {Democratic Unionist Party, headed by Ian Paisley}, UUP (Ulster Unionist Party) or Alliance, by and large, they're all the same. As for Dublin, they have nothing to offer us. The number of protestants in the SOuth has dwindled, until the percentage is so minimal. There's no question of anti- protestantism down south. So we're supportive of talks, but I don't expect much will come out of them.
Q: How do you view a resolution to the conflict? Would you accept powersharing with nationalists?
Q: You must bear in mind that the answer lies with the Provos; the answer to ending all violence lies with the Provos. If the IRA called a ceasefire, the UVF would reciprocate. Contrary to the 'tit-for tat' view, the UVF does not go out and retaliate: if a target presents itself, the UVF hits. The UVF has political documents put out by very progressive unionists. There was one document produced before, the UDA's 'Common Sense', a very progressive document. Common Sense was pretty much a carbon copy of that document. It proposed a devolved government, proportional representation etc. As for powersharing, catholics still feel discriminated against. Of course there is discrimination in employment, but it applies to both communities. If I were running Shorts {a automotive engine plant in East Belfast with a nearly 95 percent Protestant workforce. eugene} I wouldn't hire catholics--no one could assure me that they're not in the IRA. I would know that a protestant is not coming to destroy my business. For years we had it rammed down our throats "you must vote Unionist to maintain the border!" The border split society for one class, for the
benefit of one class. This may sound conceited, but I think the people of Northern IReland are the finest people anywhere; they're hard-working and innovative, as Shorts, at the forefront, has proved. The willingness to work is there, if we had jobs everyone could not fail to prosper. But I have no doubt that the IRA have driven investors away.
Ulster Freedom Fighters
Q; How big is the UFF?
A: Johnny- Big. Our membership has grown four times in the past year, province wide. We're 400 to 500 strong in west Belfast alone. Last year our command structure was wiped out, but that allowed us to reorganize. Most of those who were scooped were skimming {using organizational funds for personal purposes} and tipping off {informing} the security forces. We got rid of the dead wood. Restructuring brought in a younger element--no more grandads, sitting behind a desk. Our recruitment is way up. In Belfast, we're organized into six brigades, similar to the Provos, with an Inner Circle meeting one a week.
Q: The UFF was involved in an attack on two women in North Belfast which has been labelled purely sectarian. What is the strategy behind random attacks?
A: Sammy- Those women were not attacked. A known member of the North Belfast IRA was the intended target. If we wanted to kill those two women, they'd have been killed. They'd be dead now. Johnny--Our intelligence is one hundred percent accurate! One hundred and one percent! We get our information from the security forces! I could show you computer printouts in the other room, security force printouts with precise intelligence. Sammy--"Innocent" catholics are always crying that they're innocent, but they're not. If they want to be sectarian, we can be blunty sectarian. We'll fight fire with fire. This is war. We are engaged in military war with the Provos.
Q: Nationalists point to cases such as the Brian Nelson affair as an illustration of why they oppose the security forces. {The Nelson affair highlighted the close relations existing between the security forces and the loyalists.} How close is your relationship with the RUC and the Army?
A: Sammy--Nelson was just an intelligence officer; as in 'overall' intelligence. That's all he was involved in. Listen, republicans have their contacts within the security forces too. They have their people passing on information. I'm not going into details about out relationship with the security forces. But it is there, and it is a good working relationship. I'm not going to give details, but let's say we get information on a weekly rather than a daily basis. The information is not on specific republican movements, day to day movements. We'll be working on a target for months before we nail the target. I'm not going into anymore details on that.
Q: Many people feel that direct negotiations with the republican movement are fundamental to any lasting solution. How do you view that prospect?
A: Sammy--How do you talk to scum? Politicians can negotiate. But the Provos started this, what should we negotiate? The Brooke talks are absolute nonsense. This year the UFF is at full strength. Our numbers have swelled, and our ammunition has swelled.
Q: Ammunition from South Africa?
A: Sammy--Yes. But the South African connection is only marginal. It's the one you know about, so it's the one we admit. But its much more than that. We have other supporters. We've got our supporters in America too. But the point is we're not just reacting to what they (the IRA) do, we do our own thing. We're trying to show how the Provos' actions impact on the catholic community. The IRA are more communists than anything else. On our side, if you say anything about us, fair enough. But in Andersonstown, people are scared to speak. They're afraid of the Provos. That's communism. The Provos say an attack on the police is an attack on the 'state'. But an attack on the security forces is an attack on the protestant community. They should have no part in the talks, and they never will have a part.
Q: In a United Ireland, republicans envision a new secular state. Are there changes that could occur in the 26 Counties {Southern Ireland} that would make re-unification more acceptable?
A: Sammy--I've been down South. My view of the 26 counties is: keep your nose out of our fucking business. They're peasants down there. Their economy is nothing. They're just trying to get a foot in the British economy. They want the shipyard. {A reference to Harlan and Wolff's, a ship yard which is the major employer in Belfast. It is the shipyard where the Titanic was built, and has tremendous symbolic meaning for the Loyalist population, which makes up 90-95 percent of the H and W workforce. eugene}. There's nothing for me in a united Ireland at all--I'm British. If republicans want an "all Ireland" then they should move down South. The only way you'll see peace here is if you put barriers up around each community. The British can't see any way out of it. I can't see it ending in my lifetime.
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