Belfast death sparks fears of new violence (Las Vegas Sun) -- Irish Media Watch Message Board

Saturday, December 26, 2009 03:36:04am Ireland Time [ VoyUser Login optional ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, [9], 10 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 22:02:18 05/20/04 Thu GMT
Author: Lynn
Subject: Belfast death sparks fears of new violence (Las Vegas Sun)

May 18, 2004

Belfast Death Sparks Fears of New Violence

ASSOCIATED PRESS

BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) - A suspected member of an outlawed anti-Catholic gang was shot dead Tuesday, sparking fears of renewed feuding among paramilitary criminals.

Two men ambushed Brian Stewart, 34, as he drove up to the gate of the plumbing company where he worked in Protestant east Belfast, police said.

No group claimed responsibility, but police said a likely motive was feuding between paramilitary extremists over control of rackets and criminal profits.

The neighborhood where the attackers' car was dumped is a power base for the outlawed Ulster Volunteer Force, or UVF, which is supposed to be observing a cease-fire in support of Northern Ireland's 1998 peace accord.

Police said the victim had links to the Loyalist Volunteer Force. The LVF, founded in 1996 by disgruntled UVF members, has periodically clashed with both the UVF and the Ulster Defense Association, the largest illegal Protestant paramilitary group.

The LVF in recent years has tried to expand its drug-dealing empire into east Belfast, where both the UVF and UDA have protected their own racketeering turf for decades.

"Loyalist" gangs - so named because they claim loyalty to Northern Ireland's status as British territory - have been responsible for the bulk of violence committed since 1998, when local leaders achieved the Good Friday peace accord.

-- May 18, 2004

Belfast Death Sparks Fears of New Violence

ASSOCIATED PRESS

BELFAST, Northern Ireland (AP) - A suspected member of an outlawed anti-Catholic gang was shot dead Tuesday, sparking fears of renewed feuding among paramilitary criminals.

Two men ambushed Brian Stewart, 34, as he drove up to the gate of the plumbing company where he worked in Protestant east Belfast, police said.

No group claimed responsibility, but police said a likely motive was feuding between paramilitary extremists over control of rackets and criminal profits.

The neighborhood where the attackers' car was dumped is a power base for the outlawed Ulster Volunteer Force, or UVF, which is supposed to be observing a cease-fire in support of Northern Ireland's 1998 peace accord.

Police said the victim had links to the Loyalist Volunteer Force. The LVF, founded in 1996 by disgruntled UVF members, has periodically clashed with both the UVF and the Ulster Defense Association, the largest illegal Protestant paramilitary group.

The LVF in recent years has tried to expand its drug-dealing empire into east Belfast, where both the UVF and UDA have protected their own racketeering turf for decades.

"Loyalist" gangs - so named because they claim loyalty to Northern Ireland's status as British territory - have been responsible for the bulk of violence committed since 1998, when local leaders achieved the Good Friday peace accord.

--

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

[ Contact Forum Admin ]

Forum timezone: GMT-8
VF Version: 2.94, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums^(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2008 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.