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Top loyalist praises McGuinness but warns of ‘Real UDA clowns’
Thursday, 12 March 2009
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A leading loyalist has praised the response of Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness to the dissident republican murders of the past week.
Jackie McDonald — widely regarded as Northern Ireland's most senior UDA figure — said the deputy First Minister's strong words of condemnation had helped put the loyalist community “at ease”.
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While stressing that the UDA had no intention of retaliating, he also warned of the possibility of “clowns” calling themselves the “Real UDA”.
Speaking at yesterday's peace rally at Belfast city centre, Mr |McDonald said there was anger among loyalists at the killings by the Real IRA and Continuity IRA.
“The message has to go to the loyalist community — and most of them do understand it — that this is not the pan-nationalist front, as it was deemed in the past.
“This is a selection of individuals — criminals.”
He also stated: “The Provisional IRA literally blew the two communities apart. What these people are doing is bringing the two communities back together again.
“To be fair to Sinn Fein, they have come out and said some very robust stuff and they've condemned the people out of hand, as we all must do.
“Some young loyalists might become embittered and say this is us back to where we were. It's not — this is no pan-nationalist front. It's individuals who are creating difficulty for both communities.”
Referring to the stance taken by Martin McGuinness this week, the leading loyalist said: “It helps to put the loyalist community at ease because they understand it's not coming from the old source.
“The danger is, what's likely to happen — it's happened in the past — some clowns will appear in balaclavas calling themselves the Real UFF or the Real UDA.
“They are as much good to the loyalist community as these hoods and criminals are to the nationalist community.”
Speculating about the tactics of the dissident republican factions, the Belfast loyalist added: “The danger is that if it doesn't work with the army and the police, they'll go into the loyalist community with mayhem.
“But we'll still have to hold our resolve then. It takes more courage to do this than going to attack a Celtic jersey somewhere. You can't do those things any more. Those things are in the past.”
He also stated: “I've been talking to the UDA. They've no intention of doing anything to anybody.
“They've been engaged in a process with the loyalist community and they have been for years and they don't want to be derailed this time."
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did you actually just put the RIR in your wee list? You are pathetic. Read something about the troubles, just anything at all that isnt republican propeganda. maybe try a news paper or an interview outside the Andersonstown News and you might realize your just wrong. UDA formed in retaliation to the IRA killing indiscriminatly innocent people in this country. Dont pretend they were the defenders and the UDA were just there for the sake of it.
Posted by baryy | 18.03.09, 11:54 GMT
get real ciaran, that was not the UDa's plan from day one, and has never been theyre plan. Look at history, they never did much at all to catholics until ira began killing innocents. the UDA was formed with the intention of defending its people in retalliation to IRA murders. What it became is completly different. Your just making things up as you go along
Posted by baryy | 18.03.09, 11:52 GMT
Where did this stupid expression'the pan nationalist front' come from anyway? Is there a pan unionist front? Whats the other one,oh yes Sinn Fein/Ira. Is there also a unionist/uda/uvf/uff/red hand commandos front? Oh yes, they are in government too.Clear as mud.
Posted by pdwhistle | 18.03.09, 00:09 GMT
if 6 irish men were washed on to a beach in a bag and the bag was opened they would come out in three fractions of two
Posted by hg | 17.03.09, 19:21 GMT
Ciaran.
The IRA did more "murder and torture" of Republicans and catholics than the british army / RUC / UDA put together. Take off the sectarian blinkers.
Posted by sheikyertailfeather | 17.03.09, 18:51 GMT
The UDA/UFF/RIR/Red Hand Commandos and now the Real UDA?
So we are to believe that this is a wing of a wing or a wing of a wing of the UDA Frankie? Your a wing Frankie.
The IRA was formed not to protect Catholics But to protect Republicans from the RUC(now PSNI) and the other British forces.
IRA may have split due to differences in agendas, BUT it was always the agenda of the UDA and all their wings to murder and torture Republicans and Catholics alike.
The Real IRA and the Continuity IRA havn't realised we dont need them .
Posted by Ciarán | 16.03.09, 19:40 GMT
john smith wind up merchant. formed to defend innocents, not to murder them. thats why i know your either joking or just exceptionally poorly informed on the whole subject
Posted by sammy | 16.03.09, 17:16 GMT
There is no doubt that loyalist paramilitaries carried out some sickening, twisted and sectarian attacks on innocent Catholics which were absolutely hideous. But to say that the UDA had no political agenda is factually incorrect as a glance at their 1979 proposal for an independent NI, and 1987's 'Common Sense' would show. 'Common Sense' argued for a unionist/nationalist coalition government given that as the report states 'in deeply divided societies majority rule is likely to be profoundly undemocratic', so there was a political logic there too.
Posted by Leonidas | 16.03.09, 11:50 GMT
The agenda of the uda throughout the troubles was one of pure sectarian hatred.These people never had a political agenda.Their main aim was to murder as many Catholics as possible.
The uda were sectarian killers with absolutely no political agenda.
Posted by john smith | 14.03.09, 21:00 GMT
I sincerely hope there are no 'clowns' in the loyalist community because that is just what the scum of the rira wants, retalliation and a return to the bombing and bloodshed that I grew up with.
Posted by Stuart | 13.03.09, 20:37 GMT
I used to hate Martin McGuniness, but now I quite like him. It would have been better if he had been a socialist politian all of his adult life rather than anty PIRA involvement. Jackie McDonald is speaking for all Loyalists on their respose to these morders. All 'decent ' Rebublicans now understand that one million what's left of Ulster lyoyalist Protestants will not be pushed into a united Ireland by force of arms. Everyone now wants a future for themselves and for their children and no normal person wants areturn to the former violence I hope that these dissident republican scum are caught quickly and brought to justice.
Posted by James | 12.03.09, 22:29 GMT
if they've no intention of hurting anyone, why dont they give up their guns?
Posted by Pixie | 12.03.09, 11:23 GMT