PSNI Chief Admits No Loyalists Arrested in North Belfast

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday September 18, 2002 16:35 by Joe Lingane

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable for Belfast Alan McQuillan has admitted his men have made no arrests and secured no convictions against the loyalists behind a campaign of murder and bombing in North Belfast.

North Belfast News
17 September 2002

PSNI Chief Admits No Loyalists Arrested in North Belfast

By Aidan Crean

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable for Belfast Alan McQuillan has admitted his men have made no arrests and secured no convictions against the loyalists behind a campaign of murder and bombing in North Belfast.

Speaking on the BBC this morning, Mr McQuillan compared the loyalists to "mafia gangs" and speculated that recent feuding - including the murder of LVF leader Stephen Warnock - were linked to drug turf wars. However, he refused to blame loyalists for the alleged murder attempt on Davy Mahood last week, saying officers were following several lines of enquiry.

Also this morning, loyalists from the UDA tried to kill the brothern of Stephen Warnock.

While claiming "some successes" against the loyalist gangs in North Belfast who have been responsible for over 300 pipe bomb attacks, an
attempted mass murder on Saturday on the Antrim Road, and several sectarian assassinations, he admitted that no arrests or convictions had been made by his men.

Mr McQuillan's comments come after the shooting on Monday night of leading South Belfast loyalist Jim Gray, the latest victim of the loyalist feud. Mr Gray, who was shot in the face, managed to stumble to an East Belfast PSNI camp where he was treated for his injuries before being rushed to hospital.