south east antrim uda brigadier

[31] Gregg was back in command by October, at which point he was one of the brigadiers who passed the resolution expelling Adair from the UDA for his involvement in the attempted murder of Jim Gray.[32]. In late August, Adair had even managed to have Gregg stood down as Brigadier for "not being militant enough" and replaced by one of Adair's own associates. Wikizero - Ulster Volunteer Force . This came within a few days of a 1m allocation to a conflict transformation project in loyalist areas. [3] He spent six months in jail for rioting in 1977. On February 1 2003, Gregg and fellow UDA man Rab Carson had just returned to Northern Ireland after attending an Old Firm match in Glasgow when their taxi drove into . Senior members of the Ulster Volunteer Force, the Loyalist Volunteer Force and Red Hand Commando also attended. Gregg had been a regular visitor to Ibrox Park for a number of years,[11] often in the company of Michael Stone, and had even picked up a conviction for violence at an Old Firm match. In 1984, Gregg seriously wounded Sinn Fin president Gerry Adams in an assassination attempt. A failure by the paramilitary group's south-east Antrim faction to back the move resulted in a . Gregg took this as a threat and, after complaining to senior figures in the West Belfast UDA, ordered the three men to be kneecapped. [4] 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. He complained to senior figures in West Belfast before ordering that the three men be kneecapped. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles". Masked gunmen immediately opened fire on the occupants with automatic weapons. He moved from the SEA power base in the Rathcoole estate to the sleepy backwater of Greenisland as his grip on SEA weakened. It's very difficult to deal with the issue of their control, because of the fear that they just instil into people.". Members of the Cloughfern Young Conquerors dressed in uniform accompanied the coffin. Sunday World understands the UVF man, based in Rathcoole, is aware he has been fingered as a police tout and has stepped up security as his home in fear of attack. [10], Gregg played the bass drum in the UDA-affiliated flute band Cloughfern Young Conquerors, a loyalist flute band which police claimed regularly caused trouble at Orange Order parades. These psychos were obviously baying for blood Mod blood, to be exact. [37], Following the conclusion of the feud with Adair the UDA reconstituted its ceasefire in what they christened the "Gregg initiative". [34] A bomb attack on Adair's house on 8 January 2003 was blamed on Gregg by John White. He has since told pals that he has no intention of leaving Rathcoole, where he grew up, but loyalist insiders say that he will have no option but to go. His assassination attempt had made him a loyalist hero and he quickly took over from English as brigadier. According to a recent MI5/police intelligence assessment shared with Spotlight, the South East Antrim UDA "has access to arms" and is "heavily involved in drugs supply, community coercion, intimidation and other criminality". During the course of the melee a Shankill Protestant Boys member managed to gouge out Gregg's eye,[12] although it is also claimed that Gregg lost his eye due to a fight with republicans at the same parade. In May cops arrested and charged four men in connection with a kilo of cocaine seized back in 2020. He sought to portray Gregg as unstable and thuggish and spread a rumour that he was about to be replaced as brigadier. Central role played at UFF parade by veteran crime lord's two underbosses hints at changing of the guard. Members of this brigade were believed to be behind the killings of Catholic postman Danny McColgan, Protestant teenager Gavin Brett and Trevor Lowry (the latter kicked to death in the mistaken belief he was a Catholic), and a spate of pipe bomb attacks on the homes of Catholics. That same night Jackie McDonald's men raided the lower Shankill and ran those members of C Company that had remained loyal to Adair, who was still in prison, out of the city. The new Irish Sea Border: What does it mean? "And the blunder of the Housing Executive staff being threatened did him no favours either in the area.". The Carrick UDA boss, like his counterpart in Monkstown, the other major loyalist housing area in this part of south-east Antrim, is a minor criminal and drug dealer, who has risen to the position . "This isn't the end of it I wouldn't have thought. The secretive mobster has seen his one-time iron-clad grip on the UDA crime gang loosen in recent months, leaving him Brigadier in name only. The business has expanded rapidly in recent years and is used to launder criminal cash. On 6 January 2010, the UDA announced that it had put its weapons "verifiably beyond use". Watch: Peter Crouch sings the Fields of Athenry with Liverpool fans in Dublin pub, Former minister Nichola Mallon says Windsor Framework receiving positive welcome from businesses, Senior police officer referred to watchdog over alleged rape comments, Over 150 Presbyterian members sign letter criticising incoming moderators comments on ordination of women, Hancock hugely disappointed and sad after WhatsApp messages sent to newspaper. @caolan-mclaughlin-844507501 this is a UDA song ya muppet why u put f the uvf know yer history kid. [25], By September 2002, Adair had even circulated stories to contacts in the media that Gregg was under death threat from the UDA. Since his release, Shoukri had resumed his position as 'brigadier' of the north Belfast UDA while his brother Andre was in prison. [43] Accusations that the brigade has remained active continued, however, and in 2009, the mother of Jason Ballard, a 20-year-old Greenisland native subjected to a vicious beating at his home, claimed that the attack had been carried out by the South East Antrim Brigade, although they denied any involvement in the attack. Simms' demise was the catalyst for the disintegration of Fisher's power base. In a move that was not universally popular in the region, Fisher allowed the Shoukris and their ally Alan McClean to live under South East Antrim Brigade protection and even attend meetings of the brigade's commanders. November 22 2014 04:33 PM. [37], In 2007, the UDA's inner council expelled the Brigadier in the South East Antrim area and his political adviser after a long-running stand-off between the mainstream UDA and the South East Antrim Brigade. [9] Gregg's fearsome reputation earned him the nickname "the Reaper" and he bore a tattoo of the Grim Reaper on his back as a tribute. The expelled Mount Vernon UVF commander was replaced by a close associate of the organisation's overall leader John 'Bunter' Graham. Following his release from prison, Gregg returned to Rathcoole where he again became an important figure, taking a central role in the illegal drug trade, with his Rathcoole stronghold a centre of narcotics.Sometime after the Combined Loyalist Military Command of 1994 he succeeded Joe English, who had emerged as a leading figure in the Ulster Democratic Party, as brigadier of the South-East Antrim UDA. In 2019, Colin Horner was gunned down in front of his young son. This has trigged UDA fury - the terror group has been facing an onslaught from crimebusters in South East Antrim while the UVF in the same area have been left relatively untouched. A Northern Ireland group, which includes representatives of loyalist paramilitaries, recently withdrew its support for the Good Friday Agreement. He will have run the crime gang . [9] Greggs fearsome reputation earned him the nickname the Reaper and he bore a tattoo of the Grim Reaper on his back as a tribute. Convicted gunrunner Thomas Morgan, a one-time member of the UDA, has muscled in on the town's drug scene. His cheeks appeared hollow, he has shaved his head and those who have seen him describe him as 'haunted'. [40] As of 2014, the South East Antrim Brigade is no longer considered part of the wider UDA and their brigadier does not attend meetings of the organisation's ruling Inner Council. He cited former UFF chief Johnny Adair as one of the few to have got out with the skin on his back. Following the conclusion of the feud with Adair the UDA reconstituted its ceasefire in what they christened the Gregg initiative. The UDA South East Antrim Brigade is one of the six brigades of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). [38], Gregg was married with one son and two stepdaughters. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Senior members of South East Antrim UDA want to take out the UVF man who they believe gave up their drug dealers. A mortally wounded Carson died later in hospital, and taxi driver William McKnight was seriously hurt. Play over 320 million tracks for free on SoundCloud. [31] Carson was described by UDA sources as a "dear friend" of Gregg's and a junior member of the South-East Antrim Brigade. DCI John Caldwell: The New IRA threat after Omagh shooting, The Firm: Inside Lurgan and Portadowns cross-community crime gang. 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[50] Three arrests were made in the days immediately after the attack. . [60], On 4 January police investigated SEA UDA graffiti sprayed on eleven properties. In November 2011, Stuart Gregg received 400,000 compensation for psychological trauma due to having witnessed his fathers murder. His gaunt appearance had people raising questions about his health. [13], Along with Jackie McDonald and Billy McFarland, fellow brigadiers on the UDA's Inner Council, Gregg was lacking in enthusiasm for the Belfast Agreement when it appeared in 1998. [28] Soon after two pipe bombs were thrown at Gregg's house, and his friend Tommy Kirkham's house was shot at. [62], On 8 May 2020 a number of journalists working for the Sunday Life and Sunday World newspapers were warned by the PSNI about imminent attacks against journalists by the South East Antrim UDA. [7] Sometime after the Combined Loyalist Military Command of 1994 he succeeded Joe English, who had emerged as a leading figure in the Ulster Democratic Party, as so-called brigadier of the South-East Antrim UDA. . They in no way reflect my own opinions and I take no responsibility for any inaccuracies or factual errors. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification. Gregg and his team were apprehended almost immediately by a British Army patrol that opened fire on them before ramming their car. By September 2002, Adair had even circulated stories to contacts in the media that Gregg was under death threat from the UDA. Gregg was given a paramilitary funeral which was attended by thousands of mourners, including senior UDA members Jackie McDonald, Jim Gray, Sammy Duddy and Michael Stone. [65], On 25 November 2020 the Belfast Telegraph reported that the South East Antrim UDA had passed on a threat against one of their journalists. "But Gary Fisher doesn't want the hassle of sanctioning something against him. Under Gregg, the South East Antrim Brigade was linked to the killing of UVF member Mark Quail during Adair's feud with the UVF in 2000[25][26] although according to the BBC the killing was not directly connected to Adair's issues with the UVF but rather stemmed from a pub dispute in north Belfast between members of the two paramilitary groups. 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. He sought to portray Gregg as unstable and thuggish and spread a rumour that he was about to be replaced as brigadier. [1] Gregg was also characterised as "a bully, a racketeer, and a sectarian bigot who took particular delight in carrying out vicious punishment attacks and randomly targeting Roman Catholics. Both men, who lived on Ferris Avenue, had their houses burnt out during the attack. 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