Misconceptions Used By The Ulster Defence Association (IRA)

In 1971 the Ulster Defence Association, who was “an umbrella group for a variety of loyalist groups”, was founded. It became the largest loyalist paramilitary organisation of Northern Ireland with tens of thousands of members at its peak. While the UDA claimed to shield unionist communities from republican paramilitaries’ attacks the reality was far off as the UDA was involved in hundreds of murders during the Troubles while using the Ulster Freedom Fighters as a cover name. In 1992 the British government declared the UDA as illegal. Even after the UDA and multiple other loyalist paramilitary organizations joined in the self-described cease-fire by the IRA in 1992 violence has still been going on into the 21st century. In 2010, three years

Following the Maginn family denying any affiliation with the IRA the UFF presented an internal RUC document which was part of intelligence material from security forces. The Maginn family then published a statement in which they claimed that Loughlin Maginn “had been harassed and threatened by security force members” . Concerning Finucane the RUC obstinately warned his clients about his possible death because of his belonging to the IRA. Additionally security files of 250 individuals were published either by the media or publicly been put up in Belfast. In order to demonstrate the RUC’s disapproval of information being leaked by anyone within the RUC to loyalist or republican paramilitaries a full investigation of the allegations was announced. By visiting police stations and Army bases across Northern Ireland senior British police officer John Stevens, who was in charge of the investigation, questioned RUC officers as well as military personnel. Moreover John Stevens created an incident room both in Carrickfergus and in England to use the Home Office Linked Major Enquiry System, called HOLMES, which was used to assist officers in crime investigations by reducing human