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UDA set to confirm weapons dumped UDA set to confirm weapons dumped
(about 6 hours later)
The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) is expected to announce on Wednesday that it has put its weapons beyond use. The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) is expected to announce later it has put its weapons beyond use.
The loyalist paramilitary group has five weeks to meet the government's 9 February deadline to complete the decommissioning of its weapons.The loyalist paramilitary group has five weeks to meet the government's 9 February deadline to complete the decommissioning of its weapons.
Once this amnesty ends, any UDA weapons discovered by police would be forensically tested and evidence could be used in future court cases.Once this amnesty ends, any UDA weapons discovered by police would be forensically tested and evidence could be used in future court cases.
It is understood the UDA leadership put its weapons beyond use in recent weeks.It is understood the UDA leadership put its weapons beyond use in recent weeks.
The UDA and the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), a cover name it used for its paramilitary activities, are suspected of being behind 259 murders between 1969 and 2001.
A second, and older loyalist group, the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) completed decommissioning in June last year.
WitnessedWitnessed
Details of the process are expected to be announced at a news conference on Wednesday morning and confirmed in a statement from General John de Chastelain, the head of the international decommissioning body which witnessed the act. Details of the UDA process are expected to be announced at a news conference on Wednesday morning and confirmed in a statement from General John de Chastelain, the head of the international decommissioning body which witnessed the act.
General John de Chastelain is expected to confirm the moveGeneral John de Chastelain is expected to confirm the move
The move comes more than 15 years after the UDA announced its ceasefire and 12 years after the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning was set up.The move comes more than 15 years after the UDA announced its ceasefire and 12 years after the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning was set up.
A breakaway UDA faction in south east Antrim decommissioned a small quantity of weapons last summer and told General De Chastelain it would also complete the process before the February deadline.A breakaway UDA faction in south east Antrim decommissioned a small quantity of weapons last summer and told General De Chastelain it would also complete the process before the February deadline.
The body which monitors paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland said in its last report that the UDA remained effectively split into two distinct groups - the mainstream UDA and the south east Antrim group. The body which monitors paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland said in its last report the UDA remained effectively split into two distinct groups - the mainstream UDA and the south east Antrim group.
The Independent Monitoring Commission said in November that members of both factions remained involved in a range of criminal activity. The Independent Monitoring Commission said in November members of both factions remained involved in a range of criminal activity.
It is thought that the UDA and the UFF, a cover name it used for its paramilitary activities, were behind 259 murders between 1969 and 2001.
The Ulster Volunteer Force completed decommissioning in June last year.