Real Ulster Freedom Fighters

Last updated

The Real Ulster Freedom Fighters, otherwise known as the Real UFF, is a dissident loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was founded in early 2007 by former members of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) /Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF). [1] They reportedly committed 24 attacks from 2009 to 2011 in County Antrim. [2] They are believed to number fewer than 50 members.

Contents

On 30 March 2023 a new 'Real Ulster Freedom Fighters' announced its formation. This movement also split from the UDA. [3]

Much of its membership and the organisation itself have been accused of being involved in criminality and has been ostracized by much of the loyalist movement, with them being blamed for bringing heroin into Newtownards [4] They have also been accused of asking the New IRA for protection in prison in return they would give them information on police officers locations, and even offered to offer them safehouses in Down if the attack were to take place there. [5]

Formation

The group announced its existence on 1 April 2007, shortly after the St Andrews Agreement. [1] In a statement, the group said:

We have had enough of people telling us what to do - if the opportunity arises we will take out the entire UDA leadership because they are selling us out. Protestant areas are still awash with drugs and we are not going to stand by while so-called loyalists line their pockets. [1]

The group claimed to have drawn-up a "death list" that included: [1]

The Real UFF also claimed to have an arsenal that includes rocket launchers, AK-47 assault rifles, handguns, pipe bombs, coffee-jar bombs and under-car booby-trap devices. [1] However it is unknown if these weapons are still in their possession.

They were said by Sunday Life to be an alliance between former supporters of Gary "Smickers" Smyth and others who had been close to the Shoukri brothers. [1]

The current RUFF is said to be run by, and involved with Adrian Price, a known criminal who is involved in feuds with loyalist groups.[ citation needed ]

Timeline of attacks

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loyalist Volunteer Force</span> Former Ulster loyalist paramilitary group

The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) was an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed by Billy Wright in 1996 when he and his unit split from the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) after breaking its ceasefire. Most of its members came from the UVF's Mid-Ulster Brigade, which Wright had commanded. In a two-year period from August 1996, the LVF waged a paramilitary campaign in opposition to Irish republicanism and the Northern Ireland peace process. During this time it killed at least 14 people in gun and bomb attacks, almost all of them Catholic civilians killed at random. The LVF called off its campaign in August 1998 and decommissioned some of its weapons, but in the early 2000s a loyalist feud led to several killings. Since then, the LVF has been largely inactive, but its members are believed to have been involved in rioting and organized crime. In 2015, the security forces stated that the LVF "exists only as a criminal group" in Mid-Ulster and Antrim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulster Defence Association</span> Ulster loyalist paramilitary group formed in 1971

The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) is an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 as an umbrella group for various loyalist groups and undertook an armed campaign of almost 24 years as one of the participants of the Troubles. Its declared goal was to defend Ulster Protestant loyalist areas and to combat Irish republicanism, particularly the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). In the 1970s, uniformed UDA members openly patrolled these areas armed with batons and held large marches and rallies. Within the UDA was a group tasked with launching paramilitary attacks that used the cover name Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) so that the UDA would not be outlawed. The British government proscribed the UFF as a terrorist group in November 1973, but the UDA itself was not proscribed until August 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Hand Commando</span> Ulster loyalist paramilitary group

The Red Hand Commando (RHC) is a small secretive Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland that is closely linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). Its aim was to combat Irish republicanism – particularly the Irish Republican Army (IRA) – and to maintain Northern Ireland's status as part of the United Kingdom. The Red Hand Commando carried out shootings and bombings, primarily targeting Catholic civilians. As well as allowing other loyalist groupings to claim attacks in their name, the organisation has also allegedly used the cover names "Red Branch Knights" and "Loyalist Retaliation and Defence Group". It is named after the Red Hand of Ulster, and is unique among loyalist paramilitaries for its use of an Irish language motto, Lámh Dearg Abú, meaning 'red hand to victory'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Hand Defenders</span> Loyalist paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland

The Red Hand Defenders (RHD) is an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in 1998 by loyalists who opposed the Belfast Agreement and the loyalist ceasefires. Its members were drawn mostly from the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF). The name had first been used by Red Hand Commandos dissident Frankie Curry in 1996 and he was the leading figure in what was a somewhat unstructured organization until he was killed in 1999. It is named after the Red Hand of Ulster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish People's Liberation Organisation</span> Former Irish Republican paramilitary group

The Irish People's Liberation Organisation was a small Irish socialist republican paramilitary organisation formed in 1986 by disaffected and expelled members of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA), whose factions coalesced in the aftermath of the supergrass trials. It developed a reputation for intra-republican and sectarian violence as well as criminality, before being forcibly disbanded by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange Volunteers</span>

The Orange Volunteers (OV) or Orange Volunteer Force (OVF) is a small Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in 1998 by loyalists who opposed the Belfast Agreement and the loyalist ceasefires. Over the following year it carried out a wave of bomb and gun attacks on Catholics and Catholic-owned properties in rural areas, but since 2000 has been relatively inactive. The group has been associated with elements of the Orange Order and has a Calvinist fundamentalist ideology. OV's original leader was Clifford Peeples. The OV are a Proscribed Organisation in the United Kingdom under the Terrorism Act 2000 and have been included on the U.S. State Department's, "Terrorist Exclusion List", since 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shankill Road bombing</span> 1993 IRA attack in Belfast, Northern Ireland

The Shankill Road bombing was carried out by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) on 23 October 1993 and is one of the most well-known incidents of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The IRA aimed to assassinate the leadership of the loyalist Ulster Defence Association (UDA), supposedly attending a meeting above Frizzell's fish shop on the Shankill Road, Belfast. Two IRA members disguised as deliverymen entered the shop carrying a bomb, which detonated prematurely. Ten people were killed: one of the IRA bombers, a UDA member and eight Protestant civilians, two of whom were children. More than fifty people were wounded. The targeted office was empty at the time of the bombing, but the IRA had allegedly realised that the tightly packed area below would inevitably cause "collateral damage" of civilian casualties and continued regardless. However, the IRA have denied this saying that they intended to evacuate the civilians before the explosion. It is alleged, and unearthed MI5 documents appear to prove, that British intelligence failed to act on a tip off about the bombing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Gregg (loyalist)</span>

John Gregg was a senior member of the UDA/UFF loyalist paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland. In 1984, Gregg seriously wounded Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams in an assassination attempt. From the 1990s until he was shot dead in 2003 by rival associates, Gregg served as brigadier of the UDA's South East Antrim Brigade. Widely known as a man with a fearsome reputation, Gregg was considered a "hawk" in some loyalist circles.

This is a chronology of activities by the Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA), an Irish republican paramilitary group. The group started operations in 1994, after the Provisional Irish Republican Army began a ceasefire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UDA South East Antrim Brigade</span> Paramilitary gang of Northern Island

The UDA South East Antrim Brigade was previously one of the six brigades of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and are heavily involved in the drug trade. It is claimed they control "100%" of an illegal drugs network in south-east County Antrim, Northern Ireland. A mural in support of the group lists its areas of activity as being Rathcoole, Rathfern, Monkstown, Glengormley and Whitewell, all of which are part of Newtownabbey, as well as Carrickfergus, the Shore Road, Greenisland, Ballymena, Whitehead, Antrim and Larne. A newer mural in the Cloughfern area of Newtownabbey and flags have updated the areas to include Ballycarry, Ballyclare, the rural hinterland of Ballymena called 'Braidside' and despite not being in County Antrim, the town of Newtownards. The Guardian has identified it as "one of the most dangerous factions". The Irish News described the brigade as 'powerful' and at one time being 'the most bloody and murderous gang operating within the paramilitary organisation'. Since 2007 the South East Antrim Brigade has operated independently of the UDA following a fall-out.

This is a timeline of actions by the Irish republican paramilitary groups referred to as the Real Irish Republican Army and New Irish Republican Army. The Real IRA was formed in 1997 by disaffected members of the Provisional IRA. Since July 2012, when Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) and other small republican groups merged with it, the group has been called the New IRA; although it continues to call itself simply "the Irish Republican Army".

This is a timeline of actions by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), a loyalist paramilitary group formed in 1971. Most of these actions took place during the conflict known as "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland. The UDA's declared goal was to defend Loyalist areas from attack and to combat Irish republican paramilitaries. However, most of its victims were Irish Catholic civilians, who were often chosen at random.

This is a timeline of actions by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group since 1966. It includes actions carried out by the Red Hand Commando (RHC), a group integrated into the UVF shortly after their formation in 1972. It also includes attacks claimed by the Protestant Action Force (PAF), a covername used by the UVF. Most of these actions took place during the conflict known as "the Troubles" in Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Óglaigh na hÉireann (Real IRA splinter group)</span> 2009–2018 Irish republican paramilitary group

Óglaigh na hÉireann is a small dissident Irish republican paramilitary group that took part in the dissident Irish Republican campaign. The organisation started carrying out attacks around 2009 and was formed after a split within the Real IRA, led by Seamus McGrane.

Clifford Peeples is a self-styled pastor in Northern Ireland who has been associated with Ulster loyalism, for which he was convicted of terrorist activity and imprisoned. Peeples has been a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) prisoners' spokesman and leader of the Orange Volunteers (OV). He has taken a prominent role in opposing the Northern Ireland Protocol in the courts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crumlin Road</span> Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland

The Crumlin Road is a main road in north-west Belfast, Northern Ireland. The road runs from north of Belfast City Centre for about four miles to the outskirts of the city. It also forms part of the longer A52 road which leads out of Belfast to the town of Crumlin. The lower section of the road houses a number of historic buildings, including the city's former law courts and prison, whilst the road encompasses several large housing areas, including Ardoyne, Ballysillan and Ligoniel(from Irish Lag an Aoil, meaning 'hollow of the lime').

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan McCullough (loyalist)</span> Northern Ireland British loyalist (1981–2003)

Alan McCullough was a leading Northern Irish loyalist and a member of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). He served as the organisation's military commander for the West Belfast Brigade's notorious C Company which was then headed by Johnny Adair.

John Bunting is a Northern Irish loyalist paramilitary leader and activist. As of 2014 Bunting is the head of the North Belfast Brigade of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and thus a member of the Inner Council that controls the organisation.

The following is a timeline of actions during The Troubles which took place in the Republic of Ireland between 1969 and 1998. It includes Ulster Volunteer Force bombings such as the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in May 1974, and other loyalist bombings carried out in the 1970s, '80s and '90s, the last of which was in 1997. These attacks killed dozens of people and injured hundreds more. Also actions carried out by Irish republicans including bombings, prison escapes, kidnappings, and gun battles between the Gardaí (police) and the Irish Defence Forces against Republican gunmen from the Irish National Liberation Army, the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and a socialist-revolutionary group, Saor Éire. These attacks killed a number of civilians, police, soldiers, and republican paramilitaries.

Large civil disorder broke out in north Belfast, Northern Ireland on Sunday 11 November 2001. The trouble started when republicans clashed with loyalists during a Remembrance Day service. Up to 400 Protestants and Catholics were involved in rioting in the afternoon on North Queen Street.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Peace process in for a R.U.F.F time". Sunday Life. 1 April 2007.
  2. ↑ "Loyalists attack Catholic, Polish families". Irish Republican News. 14 October 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  3. ↑ "Ards and North Down: Expelled members of UDA have named themselves as UFF in loyalist gang feud". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Undercover cops bugged homes of loyalists at centre of Co Down drugs feud". SundayWorld.com. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "Feuding loyalists setting up cops for murder in return for prison protection from New IRA". SundayWorld.com. 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "Pipe bomb thrown at home". UTV News. 24 July 2009.
  7. ↑ "Family targeted in pipe bomb attack". Belfast Newsletter. 25 July 2009.
  8. ↑ "Antrim family escapes unhurt after attack". RTÉ News. 24 July 2009.
  9. ↑ "'Real UFF' claim Antrim bomb". Belfast Newsletter. 25 September 2009.
  10. ↑ "Small bomb made safe in North". Irish Times. 25 September 2009.
  11. ↑ "Antrim attack deemed sectarian". Belfast Newsletter. 15 January 2010.
  12. ↑ "Kelly receives another death threat". Belfast Telegraph. 11 February 2010. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013.
  13. ↑ "Gerry Adams warned of another threat to his life". Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  14. ↑ "Two escape Antrim gun attack". UTV News. 13 March 2010.
  15. ↑ "Pipe bomb sparks Antrim alert". UTV News. 11 August 2010.
  16. ↑ "Loyalists behind pipe bomb attack". Belfast Newsletter. 11 August 2010.
  17. ↑ "Officers probe trio of pipe bombs". Belfast Telegraph. 12 August 2010. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012.
  18. ↑ "Real UFF blamed for school bomb". UTV. 6 September 2010.
  19. ↑ "Loyalists blamed for bomb blast attack on west Belfast house". belfasttelegraph.co.uk. Belfast Telegraph. 2 November 2010. Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "Grenade attack stuns PSNI - Irish Republican News - Mon, Nov 8, 2010" . Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  21. ↑ "Pipe bomb left at Polish couple's home in Steeple, Antrim". BBC News. 12 October 2011.
  22. ↑ "Former DUP candidate John Smyth refused bail on explosives charges". BBC News. 27 October 2011.
  23. ↑ "Ex-DUP man jailed over pipe bomb attack". u.tv. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  24. ↑ "'Viable' pipe bomb found in Steeple". Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  25. ↑ "Blast bomb victim 'lucky to be alive'". u.tv. Archived from the original on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  26. ↑ "North Down loyalists flee to Fermanagh in fear of their lives over feud". MSN . Archived from the original on 23 May 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.