Editing Loyalist Volunteer Force (section)

==History==

===Early days===
[[Billy Wright (loyalist)|Billy Wright]] was the leader of the Mid-Ulster Brigade of the [[Ulster Volunteer Force (1966)|Ulster Volunteer Force]] (UVF),<ref name="mult">[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20000709/ai_n13951172 Loyalists' feud calls halt to ceasefire] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422205757/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20000709/ai_n13951172 |date=22 April 2008 }} Sunday Herald, 9 July 2000</ref> having taken over the command from [[Robin Jackson|Robin "the Jackal" Jackson]] in the early 1990s upon the latter's retirement. In October 1994, the UVF and other [[Ulster loyalism|loyalist]] paramilitary groups called a [[ceasefire]]. 

Internal differences between Wright and the UVF's Brigade Staff in [[Belfast]] came to a head in July 1996, during the [[Drumcree conflict|Drumcree parade dispute]]. The [[Orange Order]] was being stopped from marching through the [[Irish Catholic|Catholic]] Garvaghy area of [[Portadown]]. There was a standoff at [[Drumcree Church]] between thousands of Orangemen and their supporters on one side, and the security forces on the other. Wright was angered that the march was being blocked, and was often seen at Drumcree with [[Harold Gracey]], head of the Portadown Orange Lodge.<ref name="Susan McKay">McKay, Susan. ''[http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/people/accounts/mckay00.htm Northern Protestants: An Unsettled People - Portadown] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101207075749/http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/people/accounts/mckay00.htm |date=7 December 2010 }}''. Blackstaff Press (2000).</ref>

Wright's brigade smuggled homemade weaponry to Drumcree, apparently unhindered by the Orangemen.<ref name="Susan McKay"/> On 7 July, a day into the standoff, members of Wright's brigade<ref name="Susan McKay"/><ref name="McGoldrick">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1418234/Murder-was-present-for-terror-leader.html "Murder was 'present' for terror leader"] ''The Telegraph'', 8 January 2003. Retrieved 24 July 2009</ref> shot dead Catholic taxi driver Michael McGoldrick near [[Aghagallon]]. The man who killed McGoldrick said he had also planned, along with Billy Wright and [[Mark Fulton (loyalist)|Mark Fulton]], to kidnap three [[Priesthood (Catholic Church)|priests]] from a [[rectory|parochial house]] in County Armagh and shoot them unless the march was allowed to continue.<ref name="nelsonreport">[http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc1012/hc09/0947/0947.pdf ''The Rosemary Nelson Inquiry Report''] (23 May 2011), p.76</ref> Allegedly, the brigade also planned to drive [[Tank truck|petrol tankers]] into the Catholic area and blow them up.<ref>Coogan, Tim. ''The Troubles: Ireland's Ordeal 1966-1995 and the Search for Peace''. Palgrave Macmillan, 2002. Page 517.</ref> After four days of loyalist protests and violence throughout Northern Ireland, the police reversed their decision and allowed the march to continue.

For breaking the ceasefire,<ref name="mult"/> Wright and the Portadown unit of the Mid-Ulster Brigade were "stood down" by the UVF leadership on 2 August 1996.<ref name="UVF leadership">[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uvf-disbands-unit-linked-to-taxi-murder-1307867.html "UVF disbands unit linked to taxi murder"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214334/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uvf-disbands-unit-linked-to-taxi-murder-1307867.html |date=3 March 2016 }} ''The Independent'', 3 August 1996. Retrieved 18 October 2009</ref> 

Wright and his unit left the UVF and formed the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF). He personally chose its codename of "Covenant", which was used to claim LVF attacks.<ref name="brucepaper">[http://www.irish-association.org/papers/stevebruce11_oct03.asp "Religion and Violence: the Case of Paisley and Ulster Evangelicals". ''The Irish Association'', Paper presented by Steve Bruce''. UK: University of Aberdeen. 11 October 2003] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324135540/http://www.irish-association.org/papers/stevebruce11_oct03.asp |date=24 March 2012 }}. Retrieved 25 June 2012</ref>
   
Although behind many attacks in the Mid-Ulster area, especially in Portadown and Lurgan, Wright was arrested in January 1997 on charges of issuing death threats and perverting the course of justice. He was convicted in March 1997 and sentenced to eight years in the [[Maze (HM Prison)|Maze Prison]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news|title=Scottish News - The Scotsman|website=www.scotsman.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402162422/http://www.u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=80286&pt=n|url-status=dead|title=ITV Hub|archive-date=2 April 2015|website=ITV Hub}}</ref> There he demanded a separate wing for LVF prisoners. The authorities agreed and the wing became a gathering point for loyalists opposed to the [[Northern Ireland peace process]], including many men from [[Belfast]] and north [[County Down|Down]].<ref>{{cite book | last = Taylor | first = Peter | author-link = Peter Taylor (Journalist) | title = Loyalists | publisher = [[Bloomsbury Publishing]] | year = 1999 | pages = 244 | isbn = 0-7475-4519-7}}</ref>

===Death of Billy Wright===
On 27 December 1997, Wright was assassinated by [[Irish National Liberation Army]] (INLA) prisoners inside the Maze Prison: [[Christopher "Crip" McWilliams]], John Glennon and John Kennaway.<ref name="Starry Plough">{{cite web|url=http://irsm.org/irsp/starryplough/99-03.04/howinla.html|title=How The Irish National Liberation Army Decommissioned The LVF|publisher=An Camchéachta - The Starry Plough|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807124351/http://irsm.org/irsp/starryplough/99-03.04/howinla.html|archive-date=August 7, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> The three were imprisoned in the same block as Wright. He was shot as he travelled in a prison van. After killing Wright, the three surrendered to prison guards.<ref name="Starry Plough"/> They also delivered a statement: "Billy Wright was executed [...] for directing and waging his campaign of terror against the nationalist people from his prison cell".<ref name="Starry Plough"/>

That night, LVF gunmen opened fire on the dance hall of the Glengannon Hotel, near [[Dungannon]].<ref name="Irish News">[http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1997/12/29/ihead.htm Provos in crisis talks to try to restrain hardliners] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081001230124/http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1997/12/29/ihead.htm |date= 1 October 2008 }} Irish News, 29 December 1997</ref> The hotel was owned by Catholics and about 400 teenagers were attending a [[disco]] there.<ref name="Irish News"/> Three civilians were wounded and one, a former [[Provisional Irish Republican Army|Provisional IRA]] volunteer, was killed.<ref name="Irish News"/> Police believed that the disco was the intended target, rather than the ex-volunteer.<ref name="Irish News"/> Witnesses said it was "an attempt at mass-murder".<ref name="Irish News"/>

Some believed that prison authorities colluded with the INLA in Wright's killing. The INLA strongly denied these rumours. It  published a detailed account of the assassination in the March/April 1999 issue of ''[[The Starry Plough (newspaper)|The Starry Plough]]'' newspaper.<ref name="Starry Plough"/>

===Good Friday Agreement and ceasefire===
In March 1998, during the negotiations for the [[Good Friday Agreement]], the LVF issued a statement backing the anti-agreement [[Democratic Unionist Party]] (DUP), saying the party's leader, [[Ian Paisley]], had got it "absolutely right".<ref>[http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1998/03/09/ihead.htm Air services to return to normal after strike deal] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929111310/http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1998/03/09/ihead.htm |date=29 September 2007 }} Irish News, 9 March 1998</ref> DUP Member of Parliament [[William McCrea, Baron McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown|Willie McCrea]] appeared on public platforms with LVF leaders.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/936685.stm The gospel-singing MP] BBC Northern Ireland, 22 September 2000</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Election '97: Voters dream of day when hope and history rhyme |author=David McKittrick |url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19970423/ai_n14113046 |newspaper=The Independent |date=23 April 1997 |access-date=25 March 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924095148/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19970423/ai_n14113046 |archive-date=24 September 2015 }}</ref>

In May 1998 the LVF called a ceasefire and urged people to vote 'No' in the [[1998 Northern Ireland Belfast Agreement referendum|referendum on the Agreement]]. The [[Northern Ireland Office]] accepted its ceasefire in November, making LVF prisoners eligible for early release under the Agreement. Later, it handed over a small amount of weapons to the [[Independent International Commission on Decommissioning]]. The decommissioned weapons were as follows:
*4 sub-machine guns
*2 rifles
*2 pistols
*1 sawn-off shotgun
*2 pipe bombs
*various ammunition and detonators

The destruction of some of the LVF arms were recorded by video. However, since the weapons were decommissioned in mid-1998, the LVF has killed four people. {{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

===Post-ceasefire activities===
In early 2000, an LVF-UVF feud began, and there were several tit-for-tat killings. The Secretary of State declared on 12 October 2001 that the government no longer recognised their ceasefire.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1596068.stm | title={{sic|Poli|ticans|nolink=y}} assess ceasefire end | work=BBC News | date=13 October 2001 | access-date=11 June 2015}}</ref>

After its ceasefire, the LVF continued supporting the Orangemen in their protests at Drumcree. In July 2000, it was revealed that members of [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] group [[Combat 18]] were travelling from England to join the protest. They were given shelter by LVF volunteers in Portadown and [[Tandragee]]. Combat 18 had opposed the LVF's ceasefire, but this trip was said to mark a "healing of the rift".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/jul/02/northernireland.race|title=English fascists to join loyalists at Drumcree|newspaper=[[The Observer]]|date=2 July 2000|access-date=30 December 2010|location=London|first=Henry|last=McDonald}}</ref>

In 2002, Wright's successor as LVF leader, [[Mark Fulton (loyalist)|Mark Fulton]], was found hanged in [[Maghaberry (HM Prison)|Maghaberry prison]]. It is believed that he committed suicide.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20020616/ai_n12576805 Killer of Rosemary Nelson named; Loyalist Mark Fulton is revealed as] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422205802/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4156/is_20020616/ai_n12576805 |date=22 April 2008 }} ''Sunday Herald'', 16 June 2002</ref>

In July 2005 the IRA declared it had ended its armed campaign and would disarm. In September 2005 weapons inspectors declared that the IRA had fully disarmed. In response, on 30 October that year, the LVF stated that it was standing down.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/pport/web/ireland/Full_Story/did-sgvbw1z4xrkjw.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150612014347/http://www.irishexaminer.com/pport/web/ireland/Full_Story/did-sgvbw1z4xrkjw.asp|url-status=dead|title=Irish Examiner|archive-date=12 June 2015}}</ref>

In February 2006, the [[Independent Monitoring Commission]] confirmed that the LVF-UVF feud was over. But, it said that the LVF's involvement with organised crime and drug trafficking continued, describing it as a "deeply criminal organisation". The twentieth IMC report stated that the group was small and without political purpose. Most of its violence was "more criminal than paramilitary" in nature. LVF members who continued violent activity were said to do so "for personal gain" and associated with the organisation at large only when it was helpful to do so. The report added that simple aggressive police work could damage the group's continuance.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20081218015532/http://www.independentmonitoringcommission.org/documents/uploads/Twentieth%20Report.pdf Twentieth Report]}} Independent Monitoring Commission</ref>