Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LOYALISTS BRACED FOR BLOODY FEUD
Fear feud will leave more dead Huge faction to move on rivals
South-east Antrim have a huge gang. There is a dozen on the other side LOYALIST SOURCE CO ANTRIM YESTERDAY
A UDA feud could descend into further bloodshed, it has been warned.
A dispute among the loyalist terror gang has allegedly been blamed for the deaths of two people.
Three men are currently on trial over the murder of ex-commander Geordie Gilmore in Carrickfergus after he allegedly became embroiled in a row with South East Antrim UDA.
Five others also face trial for the suspected murder of associate Colin Horner who was killed in Bangor, Co Down.
He was with his three-year-old son outside a branch of Sainsbury’s when he was gunned down in May 2017. Gilmore was shot dead two months before.
While a series of tit-for-tat attacks have followed, the rival factions are facing 2019 with the threat of violence looming.
One source said: “The South East Antrim obviously have a big reach.
“They were fit to bring 150 on to the street in Carrickfergus in a show of strength before he was killed. It’s all run from Rathcoole. Rathcoole look after Carrick then Greenisland.
“And if they need to they can call on Larne.
“They have a big gang. They can have hundreds when they need it.
“That’s against maybe a dozen on the other side.”
Last month, Tommy Morgan and Darren Bennett were jailed for trying to buy weapons for loyalists via the dark web.
The source added: “Gilmore was shot. So the South East Antrim UDA do have access to arms but the cops haven’t recovered anything.
“If the UDA need to get stuff they have connections throughout the country.
“But I don’t know how the Gilmore side expect to get any.
“That shows with them going down the dark web route. That’s not a traditional route for paramilitaries to be getting weapons.”
Both factions are said to be wellknown to each other.
The source said: “They all live close to each other, they all see each other. But everyone’s been keeping a lid on it. You’d hope there’s a bit of common sense but who knows.
“The UDA in Rathcoole don’t want police attention. They want to keep things quiet. It’s all about drugs there. They don’t want any limelight, they don’t want police about. They want things to be low-key again.
“On the other side, it’s an emotional reaction but they’re backed into a corner. They’re simply outnumbered.”
Alliance Party MLA Stewart Dickson said there is a “fear” in and around the area.
He told the Mirror: “It has gone on for too long now.
“They’ve brought a bad reputation and bad name to a town that simply doesn’t deserve it.
“These things predictably escalate to murder.
“These people know each other. They create fear and concern in the town.
“I appeal for people to stop before someone else is killed or injured.”
David “Dee Dee” Mcmaw, his brother Darren, and Brian Mcclean are on trial over Gilmore’s alleged murder.
They deny the charges.