UDA set to confirm weapons destruction

THE Ulster Defence Association (UDA) is believed to announce it has completed the decommissioning of its weapons within the next hour or so.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Jan 2010, 08:53 BST
Updated 6th Jan 2010, 08:54 BST

The move will mean the loyalist grouping will have met the government deadline of February 9 to finalise the destruction of its illegal weapons cache.

Once the February deadline ends, which in effect was an amnesty, any UDA weapons discovered by the PSNI would be tested forensically and evidence would be used in future court cases.

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It has also emerged that the UDA leadership put its weapons beyond use in recent weeks.

The UDA and the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), a cover name used for its paramilitary activities, are thought to have been behind 400 murders between 1971 and 2001.

Details of the UDA decommissioning process are expected to be announced this morning (Wednesday, January 6, 2009) at a press conference and confirmed in a statement from General John de Chastelain, the head of the international decommissioning body which witnessed the act.

It is understood there will be a statement from additional independent eyewitnesses.

Related topics:PSNI