Ulster Defence Association
The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) is a loyalist paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1971 as an umbrella organisation for a number of existing loyalist groups. It remained legal until 1991.[1]
Contents
Origin
According to journalist Martin Dillon, the UDA emerged during the early years of the Troubles out of conversations involving the unionist politician William Craig after he was rebuffed in meetings with the Ulster Volunteer Force in 1970. he then turned turned his attention to the idea of a new paramilitary organisation with a legal framework, and held discussions with loyalist figures including William McGrath, John McKeague, Charles Harding Smith and Tommy Herron.[2]
In July 1971, Harding Smith, the head of the Woodvale Defence Association was involved in drafting a statement calling for loyalists to form themselves into armed platoons of 20 to be integrated into an incipient command structure.[3]
The formation of the Ulster Defence Association was proposed in September 1971 as an umbrella organisation for the various 'Protestant Defence Associations'.[4]
People
Chairman
- Charles Harding Smith[5]
- Jim Anderson
- Jim Anderson and Charles Harding Smith[6]
- Andy Tyrie - 1973-1988.[7]
West Belfast Brigadier
- Johnny Adair - 2002.[8]
- William 'Mo' Courtney 2002.[9]
- Jackie Thompson 2003.[10]
North Belfast Brigadier
- Andre Shoukri c-2002.[11]
- Jim Gray[12]
South Belfast Brigadier]]
South-East Antrim Brigadier
- John "Grugg" Gregg -2003.[14]
Londonderry and North Antrim Brigadier
External Resources
- Pat Finucane Centre, The Security Forces and the UDA
- Owen Boycott, MoD took softer line on loyalist paramilitaries, secret files reveal, The Guardian, 11 October 2010.
Notes
- ↑ Ulster Defence Association, Northern Ireland: The Troubles - Fact Files, BBC, accessed 21 November 2001.
- ↑ Martin Dillon, The Trigger Men, Mainstream Publishing, 2003, p.173.
- ↑ Martin Dillon, The Trigger Men, Mainstream Publishing, 2003, p.183.
- ↑ Colin Crawford, Inside the UDA: Volunteers and Violence, Pluto Ireland, 2003, p.20.
- ↑ Robert Fisk, The Point of No Return, The Strike which broke the British in Ulster, André Deutsch, 1975, p.355.
- ↑ Martin Dillon, The Trigger Men, Mainstream Publishing, 2003, p.183.
- ↑ W.D. Flackes, Sydney Elliot, Northern Ireland: A Political Directory, Blackstaff Press, 1989, p.270.
- ↑ Rosie Cowan, Too many chiefs led to loyalist bloodshed, The Guardian, 4 February 2003.
- ↑ Rosie Cowan, Too many chiefs led to loyalist bloodshed, The Guardian, 4 February 2003.
- ↑ Rosie Cowan, Too many chiefs led to loyalist bloodshed, The Guardian, 4 February 2003.
- ↑ Rosie Cowan, Too many chiefs led to loyalist bloodshed, The Guardian, 4 February 2003.
- ↑ Rosie Cowan, Too many chiefs led to loyalist bloodshed, The Guardian, 4 February 2003.
- ↑ Rosie Cowan, Too many chiefs led to loyalist bloodshed, The Guardian, 4 February 2003.
- ↑ Rosie Cowan, Too many chiefs led to loyalist bloodshed, The Guardian, 4 February 2003.
- ↑ Rosie Cowan, Too many chiefs led to loyalist bloodshed, The Guardian, 4 February 2003.
