Shankill arms find

A weapons haul linked uncovered on ther Shankill Road in west Belfast has been linked to the unionist paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force.

An AK-47 rifle, live ammunition and a handgun were discovered in a planned PSNI police raid. Two people were arrested.

Last week, the Christian cab firm Liberty Taxis on the Shankill Road in west Belfast was forced to close. The PSNI told its owner that the UVF leadership had sanctioned attacks against the company.

The UVF has also been accused of involvement in a feud with the breakaway Loyalist Volunteer Force in Belfast over protection rackets.

Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly has today said that it was highly probable that arsm found were part of the assignment smuggled in by the British agent Brian Nelson in 1988.

“Given the history of British collusion with loyalist death squads over the past 30 years, the find of an AK47 and Browning pistol raise a number of serious questions, particularly as to the forensic history of these weapons,” he said.

“This is an ominous development and must be remembered that over 200 people were murdered by these weapons.”

Meanwhile, a leading member of the rival UDA in north Belfast, Andre Shoukri, is being asked to explain the ‘disappearance’ of over 10,000 pounds sterling raised for various charities and prisoner groups.

A major row has erupted within the north Belfast UDA after the money went missing.

“People are pointing the finger at the north Belfast brigadier,” one UDA man was reported as saying. “When he was challenged about it he just said the money had gone and that was it.

“The UDA in north Belfast are livid because its not just the charity money which has gone, all of the money for its prisoners has also gone.”

Urgent Appeal