Irish Republican News · January 5, 2004

UDA warns off Adair supporters

Ousted loyalist leader Johnny Adair has been warned against trying to regain power in the North of Ireland by his former paramilitary associates.

The UDA has accused the deposed leader and his supporters of running a campaign against the new regime.

Although Adair is in jail and his associates have moved to England after they were forced to flee the North of Ireland, the UDA claimed they were attempting to regain power.

A statement issued by the group's west Belfast brigade said: ``Over the last six months, disenfranchised former members and others have waged a campaign of division.

``These individuals brought nothing but heartache and shame to our organisation and community in the past and are intent in doing the same in the present and future.

``We would inform those individuals that their campaign is not working, nor will it work in the future.''

The statement added: ``This organisation has worked tirelessly to overturn a legacy of shame those former members left behind.

``The brigades have been built and we are continuing to stabilise and develop our communities.''

Adair was sent back to Maghaberry prison 12 months ago at the height of a bloody drugs-related UDA turf war which left four men dead.

His family and friends were then ousted from their former power base in the Lower Shankill area of Belfast as the mainstream UDA took control.

LOYALIST VIOLENCE CONTINUES

Meanwhile, loyalists were blamed for planting two pipe bomb inside a Co Derry bar on New Year's Eve.

The potentially lethal devices were found in McNulty's Bar in Coleraine in the early hours of New Year's morning where some 500 people were attending a party.

Two phone warnings were made claiming devices had been left in an attack whose motivation is still unclear.

The UDA has ben blamed for a petrol bomb attack on the home of a retired prison officer in Newtownabbey shortly before midnight on Tuesday.

A petrol bomb was thrown at a car parked outside the home of the retired prison officer, before the attackers made their escape from the scene in a waiting car.

It is understood that no-one in the house at the time was injured in the attack.

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