[51], On 13 March 2017 Geordie Gilmore, formerly a commander in the brigade until being stood down in 2016 following a dispute over drug money,[52] was shot in the neck in Carrickfergus. [60], On 4 January police investigated SEA UDA graffiti sprayed on eleven properties. They in no way reflect my own opinions and I take no responsibility for any inaccuracies or factual errors. [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. 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The internal clean-up of the UVF's South East Antrim unit came after its leaders promised to morph into an old boys organisation during a meeting with senior government officials. [4] The attack had been known in advance by security forces due to a tip-off from informants within Rathcoole; Adams and his co-passengers had survived in part because Royal Ulster Constabulary officers, acting on the informants' information, had replaced much of the ammunition in the UDA's Rathcoole weapons dump with low-velocity bullets. "These people are completely ruthless, I believe that it would put my life in danger," he said. [9] They were convicted for the attack the following year. Adams was in a taxi near Belfast City Hall with some associates when another car containing John 'Grug' Gregg and two fellow Rathcoole UDA members pulled up alongside and opened fire on Adams. Widely known as a man with a fearsome reputation, Gregg was considered a "hawk" in some loyalist circles. John Gregg (UDA) The man who shot Gerry Adam? Gregg joined the Ulster Young Militants (UYM), the youth wing of the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Defence Association (UDA) at the age of 14. [29] In response, graffiti appeared around the walls of Rathcoole in December, stating: "Daft Dog and White beware. Much of this activity was inspired by Gregg's personal hatred of Catholics. His own earliest memory of the Troubles was the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association marches in Derry, a movement to which Gregg and his family were strongly opposed. The new Irish Sea Border: What does it mean? A bomb attack on Adairs 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. He spent six months in jail for rioting in 1977. Representing the UVF was John 'Bunter' Graham and the organisation's 1st Battalion commander Harry Stockman. Gregg was married with one son and two stepdaughters. To the rest of us, an attack on a UDA brigadier is an attack on the whole organisation. Gregg initially remained aloof from the struggle and instead concentrated on his anti-Catholic campaign. "But Gary Fisher doesn't want the hassle of sanctioning something against him. The expelled Mount Vernon UVF commander was replaced by a close associate of the organisation's overall leader John 'Bunter' Graham. [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. His cheeks appeared hollow, he has shaved his head and those who have seen him describe him as 'haunted'. In late August, Adair had even managed to have Gregg stood down as Brigadier for not being militant enough and replaced by one of Adairs own associates. 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 . 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. Catholic workman Gary Moore was killed in Monkstown in 2000 in another killing attributed to Greggs unit. Gregg was the most senior UDA member killed since South Belfast brigadier John McMichael was blown up by the IRA in 1987. Spotlight's Gangland: The Murder of Glenn Quinn can be viewed on the BBC iPlayer. Martin Quinn is the brother of the murdered Glenn Quinn, who was beaten to . 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. The 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. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. SoundCloud . Charlie Strain, Hugh Cameron, Tommy Hollran and Mark Gourley, who is missing presumed . [12] As the oldest member, English usually chaired the meetings of this Inner Council, although he often struggled to control UDA West Belfast Brigade brigadier Johnny Adair. [4] The attack had been known in advance by security forces due to a tip-off from informants within Rathcoole; Adams and his co-passengers had survived in part because Royal Ulster Constabulary officers, acting on the informants information, had replaced much of the ammunition in the UDAs Rathcoole weapons dump with low-velocity bullets. "It was very tragic, on the day of the funeral, to have a large police presence around the church," he said. At the service on 6 February, UVF/RHC representatives joined the UDA leadership in a show of anti-Adair solidarity. This week, a BBC Spotlight programme on the murder of Glenn Quinn investigated the savagery at the heart of one of Northern Ireland's largest loyalist gangs - the South East Antrim Ulster Defence Association (UDA). Each were accused of taxing drug dealers and stealing tens of thousands of pounds from UVF coffers. match. A UDA member originally from the Woodvale Road had moved to Rathcoole where he had been beaten up after it emerged that he was a friend of Joe English, the former brigadier who had been exiled from the estate by Gregg for his anti-drugs stance. "They'll let Fisher take the fall before replacing him, they don't see any point in putting someone else in now only for him to be targeted.". [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. John Gregg (1957 1 February 2003) was a senior member of the UDA/UFF loyalist paramilitary organisation in Northern Ireland. [66], In July 2021, Doug Beattie, the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, told the BBC that the South East Antrim UDA had threatened to kill him twice. Gregg's movements were known to C Company member Alan McCullough who, receiving instruction from Adair (then in HMP Maghaberry), arranged for a hit team to kill Gregg and his associate as the taxi took them from the port of Belfast. His role in the murder was covered up for years by his father's best friend - the deposed UVF South East Antrim commander. I know some comes in from Europe. "He was lucky to be let out alive, he knows it, but he's the exception rather than the rule.". They have a number of supply lines. South East Antrim UDA crime boss Gary Fisher is facing an internal revolt with even his closest lieutenants saying his time is up. He managed to avoid being beaten in return for tricking his ex-UVF 2IC friend into attending the Monkstown meeting during which he was attacked. Here, reporter Jennifer O'Leary writes about how the group continues strike fear into communities. Since his release, Shoukri had resumed his position as 'brigadier' of the north Belfast UDA while his brother Andre was in prison. What makes a serial killer and why are we fascinated by them? 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. [55] Gilmore had been targeted in an unsuccessful crossbow attack the previous August. "Several UDA men told their bosses they wanted him shot dead while others wanted his knees done but they've been ordered by Fisher to leave him alone, for now. UDA members turned out in force yesterday for the funeral of Mr Robert Carson, who was gunned down alongside the east Antrim UDA "brigadier", Mr John Gregg, in Belfast's docks area at the weekend. [63], The threats were condemned by Peter Vandermeersch of Independent News & Media and Seamus Dooley, assistant General Secretary of the National Union of Journalists, and by Amnesty International UK. [49] The targets of the attack were reported locally as being two brothers who had been involved in a scuffle with three UDA members the night before. [46], In March 2014 the South East Antrim Brigade was widely reported as being behind a "rampage" in which up to 100 people, some of them wearing masks, attacked a number of residential properties in Larne. Masked gunmen immediately opened fire on the occupants with automatic weapons. And until he was deposed, he was known for "telling tales" to the UVF's South East Antrim brigadier Den Elliott who was stood down last year for allegedly running unsanctioned rackets. Up for years by his father 's best friend - the deposed UVF South East Antrim commander close associate the. 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