28 April 2005 Edition

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News in Brief

Where's the money?

A major row has erupted within the North Belfast UDA after £10,000 raised during a charity boxing night at a Carrickfergus hotel for local cancer charities went missing. North Belfast UDA brigadier Andre Shoukri (above) has been asked to explain the disappearance of the money.

Some 400 patrons paid £15 per ticket for the event.

A senior loyalist said that when Shoukri was challenged about the missing money he just said, "the money was gone and that is that".

The UDA in the North Belfast are said to be livid because all the money for its prisoners has also gone.

Last week, An Phoblacht reported sources close to the UDA were warning of an internal power struggle within its ranks, with Shoukri accused of skimming money from UDA funds to pay for his gambling habit.

Loyalist charged with having UVF guns

A 25-year-old loyalist was remanded in custody after appearing in a Belfast court on Friday last on gun and ammunition charges. Unemployed James Armstrong of Wilton Street was accused of having an AK47 assault rifle, a Browning 9mm pistol and 39 rounds of ammunition.

He also faced charges of possession and possession with intent to endanger life.

The charges followed a PSNI raid on Wednesday 20 April when a number of houses in the loyalist Shankill area were searched.

Sinn Féin North Belfast MLA Gerry Kelly said it is highly probable that the weapons are part of the consignment smuggled in by the British agent Brian Nelson in 1988. The PSNI has linked the find to the UVF.

The UVF has been involved in a feud with the Loyalist Volunteer Force in Belfast over protection rackets.

Sectarian soccer thugs

The violence that underlies soccer in the Six Counties raised its ugly head at the weekend, when supporters of the notoriously loyalist Linfield and Glentoran teams fought running battles with each other at the end of a match on Saturday.

The following day, Celtic supporters, returning from the Glasgow derby with Rangers were attacked in Belfast.

Three crew members on board a P&O ferry were injured after Rangers supporters returning from an the Old Firm match on Sunday ran amok and attacked a number of Glasgow Celtic fans. PSNI members in riot gear stormed the ferry minutes after it had docked at Larne harbour. They were called in after a series of incidents in the vessel's bar involving Rangers supporters.

Trouble in Belfast city centre after the match was also attributed to loyalists.


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