[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. The secretive mobster looks gaunt and has been described as 'haunted', Fisher is losing his grip on the crime gang. Gary Fisher, a close associate of Tommy Kirkham, succeeded Gregg as brigadier. The shootings raised some anger on the Shankill, where the three were well-liked figures, and Adair sought to exploit this as a method of getting rid of Gregg. BUSINESS UDA signs strategic cooperation with Mara Inc to expand facilities management business " data-media=""> 21/02/2023 09:14 PM KUALA LUMPUR, She was killed in 2005 and her remains hidden by the son of a veteran member of the Red Hand Commando - a UVF-affiliated group. [45] As of 2014 Fisher was still identified by the Irish Independent as Brigadier, with the brigade reported as being in the process of rearming. [10] He called on the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to establish an auxiliary police "clinic" on the estate, which had no permanent police building, so that locals concerned about crime could have somewhere to go. 1 February 2003, along with another UDA member, Robert Rab Carson, Gregg was shot dead on Nelson Street, in the old Sailortown district near the Belfast docks, while travelling in a red Toyota taxi after returning from Glasgow where he regularly went to watch Rangers F.C. Security sources say that with more than 2,000 members, the South East Antrim UDA is one of Northern Ireland's largest paramilitary gangs. [23] Trevor Lowry (aged 49) was beaten to death in Glengormley by UDA members under Gregg's command on 11 April 2001 after he was mistaken for a Catholic. The gang's boss in the Mount Vernon estate in north Belfast was another expelled. 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. Gregg initially remained aloof from the struggle and instead concentrated on his anti-Catholic campaign. His 2IC (second-in-command) was also dismissed after being given a sickening . However, one major obstacle to overcome before any deal can be agreed is the recovery of the body of missing murder victim Lisa Dorrian. [14] Throughout 1999 his brigade continued to be active, undertaking a pipe bomb campaign against Catholic homes whilst on 12 May members of his brigade shot and wounded a Catholic builder in Carrickfergus under the cover name "Protestant Liberation Force". 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. He cited former UFF chief Johnny Adair as one of the few to have got out with the skin on his back. However in the second half of 2002 he was dragged into the conflict after Adair made him a target in his own attempts to take full control of the UDA. [59], On 3 January 2019 police reported a baby in a pram narrowly escaped injury after homes were attacked in Co Down by South East Antrim UDA members. Three men were acquitted of his murder. The deposed brigadier's ex-2IC is also facing major money worries having been fined 20,000 by the UVF. The UDA member claimed the paramilitary group was heavily involved in serious crime in the south east Antrim area . It is claimed they control "100%" of an illegal drugs network in south-east Antrim, Northern Ireland. On 8 February 2010, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that the Brigade had completed decommissioning. "But Gary Fisher doesn't want the hassle of sanctioning something against him. Widely known as a man with a fearsome reputation, Gregg was considered a "hawk" in some loyalist circles. In response, graffiti appeared around the walls of Rathcoole in December, stating: Daft Dog and White beware. [30] A bomb attack on Adair's house on 8 January 2003 was blamed on Gregg by White, although Adair himself was returned to prison two days later after a dossier detailing his drug-dealing and racketeering activities was shown to Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Paul Murphy. . [30] This briefly occurred in late August when one of Adair's allies took command of the brigade, although this proved short-lived. Dissident groups and LVF-linked mobsters have also moved in to claim a slice of the action. Brawls between the two had been frequent and tensions had been growing between the UDA and UVF leading to a drink-fuelled pitched battle between the two groups at the train station. [3] He later became part of the UDA South East Antrim Brigade. Under Fisher, the South East Antrim Brigade became close to the Shoukri brothers, who commanded the neighbouring North Belfast Brigade before being expelled from the UDA in June 2006. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles". A volley of shots was fired over his coffin by UDA gunmen outside his Rathcoole home. "The vast majority of it comes in from down south, from one of the well-known crime gangs down there. [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]. Posted 2 years ago 2 years ago. Now, the UDA has imploded to such an extent that its west Belfast brigade, run by the re-imprisoned renegade Adair, is accused of murdering south-east Antrim brigadier, John "Grug" Gregg, while . A mortally-wounded Carson died later in hospital, and taxi driver William McKnight was seriously hurt. In the later 1980s Snoddy took ill with cancer and many of his duties as brigadier were filled by his ally Joe English. The UDA South East Antrim Brigade is one of the six brigades of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). match. Read about our approach to external linking. [15] A senior police source once described him as a man driven by "pure and absolute bigotry". At the service on 6 February, UVF/RHC representatives joined the UDA leadership in a show of anti-Adair solidarity. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Despite his reputation for gangsterism, Gregg's failed attack on Gerry Adams had afforded him legendary status and, under the direction of Jackie McDonald, the remaining UDA brigadiers concluded that Adair had to be removed. Convicted killer driver and drug offender Simms was once Fisher's muscle entrusted with keeping a small army of drug dealers in Carrick in check. UVF chiefs fear that any deal they do with the British government about going out of business in return for funding and an amnesty will be dependent on Lisa's body being returned to her heartbroken family. [47] A Police Service of Northern Ireland officer was injured during the disturbance. "It was very tragic, on the day of the funeral, to have a large police presence around the church," he said. [6] His deputy Rab Carson was killed in the same attack, with both men having just returned from Scotland where they were attending a Rangers F.C. [11], As brigadier Joe English enjoyed, theoretically, more power than his predecessor, as Andy Tyrie had been removed from the UDA leadership and replaced by a collective leadership of the movement's six brigadiers, including English. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Simms' demise was the catalyst for the disintegration of Fisher's power base. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification. The Belfast Telegraph called the move "a familiar loyalist pattern of events. - Free Online Library", "New UDA brigadier link to McColgan and Quail murders", "UDA expels south east Antrim brigade chiefs By Brian Rowan Thursday", PM praises Northern Ireland decommissioning moves, Three more Northern Ireland terrorist groups lay down their arms, UDA Brigade deny being involved in gang attack, "A rebel UDA unit is re-arming in a grim warning to rival drug dealers", "UDA blamed for Larne, County Antrim, 'rampage', "UDA 'on a power trip', says senior police officer after attacks in Antrim", "UDA's Larne mob attack was aimed at brothers who stood up to terror gang", "Larne disorder: Third man is arrested after two are released", "Killer of leading loyalist George Gilmore remains at large", "High-profile loyalist George Gilmore dies after gun attack", "Man arrested in Carrickfergus over murder of loyalist George Gilmore", "Man shot in front of son in Northern Ireland 'victim of UDA internal feud' | UK news", "Police make another arrest over Colin Horner murder", "UDA link revealed as pair jailed over inept effort to buy guns on 'dark net', "Baby narrowly escapes attack on Ards homes by 'South East Antrim UDA', "Newtownards 'South East Antrim UFF' graffiti condemned", "Colin Horner killing: Drama as four men are jailed for life - Belfast News Letter", "Loyalist terrorist group issues threats against two journalists in Belfast", "Police warn politicians about loyalist paramilitary threats", "Loyalist paramilitaries threaten politicians in North", "Loyalists threat against Belfast Telegraph and Sunday Life journalist condemned", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=UDA_South_East_Antrim_Brigade&oldid=1135430778, This page was last edited on 24 January 2023, at 16:49. He told author Ian S. Wood that he had only supported the Combined Loyalist Military Command ceasefire in an effort to ensure the release of imprisoned friends. Video Software we use: https://amzn.to/2KpdCQFAd-free videos.You can support us by purchasing something through our Amazon-Url, thanks :)The UDA South East A. A mural commemorating Gregg and Carson in Cloughfern. Gregg was jailed for 18 years; however, he only served half his sentence and was released in 1993. They have also asked for an end to historic prosecutions for UVF killings that took place before 2010. During the course of the melee a Shankill Protestant Boys member managed to gouge out Greggs eye, although it is also claimed that Gregg lost his eye due to a fight with republicans at the same parade. "Some middle-ranking UDA men in the estate wanted him to be shot dead because touting on fellow loyalists to the police is as bad as it gets," said the source. Sources in South East Antrim have told us Fisher has been trying to engineer an exit strategy with enough money to sustain a life away from the UDA. Former PSNI superintendent Ken Pennington said he considers them to be "a criminal cartel that have wrapped themselves in a flag". "He's already under enough heat from the cops. He told them they had to pay money - ranging from 5,000 right up to 20,000 - to be allowed to stay in the area and avoid a UVF punishment attack. Gregg, at the time the head of the UDA commando in Rathcoole, was in charge of a three-man hit team that pulled up alongside Adams car near Belfast City Hall and opened fire injuring Adams and his three fellow passengers, who nonetheless escaped to seek treatment at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. "These people are completely ruthless, I believe that it would put my life in danger," he said. 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. It's believed he fears sparking a new intra-loyalist feud, piling even more pressure on the faction which has been facing a police crackdown. Scuba Certification; Private Scuba Lessons; Scuba Refresher for Certified Divers; Try Scuba Diving; Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox) UDA. His cheeks appeared hollow, he has shaved his head and those who have seen him describe him as 'haunted'. The South East Antrim UDA's tally of violence spanning two decades includes a roll call of unsolved murders. [57] Fisher was subsequently identified by the Sunday Life as brigadier, with the paper accusing him of ordering the shooting of Horner. The brigade representatives refused to give any details about how many weapons or how much commercial explosives were destroyed during the day-long exercise. [20] On 4 September Langhammer's car was blown up outside his Whiteabbey home by Gregg's men, although Langhammer himself was asleep at the time and no one was injured. [3] A mural in support of the group lists its areas of activity as being Rathcoole , Rathfern, Monkstown, Glengormley and Whitewell, all . "This isn't the end of it I wouldn't have thought. The Reaper is coming for you. 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". They in no way reflect my own opinions and I take no responsibility for any inaccuracies or factual errors. Intense police pressure is forcing South East Antrim UDA mob boss Gary Fisher to gradually withdraw from his leadership role. (I.R.A) History & Background. From the 1990s until his shooting death in 2003 by rival associates, Gregg served as brigadier of the UDAs South East Antrim Brigade. [35] Members of Adair's C Company shot and killed Gregg the following month. Stream Rab C - South East Antrim(loyalist) by Mugs1911 on desktop and mobile. Afterwards a lone piper led the cortege to Carnmoney Cemetery where he was buried. Charlie Strain, Hugh Cameron, Tommy Hollran and Mark Gourley, who is missing presumed . Senior members of South East Antrim UDA want to take out the UVF man who they believe gave up their drug dealers. ago. [11] Each geographical area was commanded by a UDA 'Brigadier' and sometimes also had a designated 'Military Commander', 'Intelligence Officer' and 'Quartermaster'. [52] The South-east Antrim brigadier, who was not named in reports, stated that any brigade members attending Gilmore's funeral would be expelled. When the taxi stopped at traffic lights close to the motorway, it was rammed by another taxi which had been hijacked earlier on the Shankill Road. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. At the service on 6 February, UVF/RHC representatives joined the UDA leadership in a show of anti-Adair solidarity. "Over the last 12 months the paramilitary cops (Paramilitary Crime Task Force) have been hitting the South East Antrim over and over again," said a source. Gregg was the most senior UDA member killed since South Belfast brigadier John McMichael was blown up by the IRA in 1987. In 1984, Gregg seriously wounded Sinn Fin president Gerry Adams in an assassination attempt. 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. [17] Protestant Trevor Lowry (aged 49) was beaten to death in Glengormley by UDA members under Gregg's command on 11 April 2001 after he was mistaken for a Catholic. A mural in support of the group lists its areas of activity as being Rathcoole (the mural's location), Rathfern, Monkstown, Glengormley and Whitewell, all of which are part of Newtownabbey, as well [29] In response, graffiti appeared around the walls of Rathcoole in December, stating: "Daft Dog and White beware. 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 . [26], Adair ignored the expulsion, erecting "West Belfast UDA - Business as Usual" banners on the Shankill Road, whilst continuing his struggles with the remaining brigadiers, Gregg in particular. [6] When asked by the BBC in prison if he regretted anything about the shooting, his reply was, "Only that I didn't succeed. 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