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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Loyalist UVF group in arms move | Loyalist UVF group in arms move |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| There are strong indications that a Northern Ireland paramilitary group has decommissioned a significant amount of its weapons. | There are strong indications that a Northern Ireland paramilitary group has decommissioned a significant amount of its weapons. |
| It is believed the government was told of the Ulster Volunteer Force move. | |
| General John de Chastelain, the head of an international decommissioning body, is believed to have witnessed the act. | General John de Chastelain, the head of an international decommissioning body, is believed to have witnessed the act. |
| The commission said it would not comment other than to say "we expect to be reporting to the government at the end of August". | |
| Four years ago the IRA put its weapons "beyond use" in decommissioning witnessed by two churchmen. | Four years ago the IRA put its weapons "beyond use" in decommissioning witnessed by two churchmen. |
| The move comes ahead of Secretary of State Shaun Woodward's August deadline for significant progress on loyalist arms. | The move comes ahead of Secretary of State Shaun Woodward's August deadline for significant progress on loyalist arms. |
| Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson said any move by loyalists towards decommissioning would be "welcome". | Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson said any move by loyalists towards decommissioning would be "welcome". |
| "Over the last nine months the DUP has been engaged in ongoing discussions with both the UDA and UVF leaderships," he said. | "Over the last nine months the DUP has been engaged in ongoing discussions with both the UDA and UVF leaderships," he said. |
| "The objective of the discussions has been to assist the organisations' transformation from paramilitary organisations into people who are playing their full part in a peaceful and democratic Northern Ireland with violence and criminality being firmly a thing of the past." | "The objective of the discussions has been to assist the organisations' transformation from paramilitary organisations into people who are playing their full part in a peaceful and democratic Northern Ireland with violence and criminality being firmly a thing of the past." |
| Murder | |
| He said they were aware the groups had been engaging with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, but said they did "not want to pre-empt the outcome of this process". | |
| Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said the move showed "the progress that Northern Ireland has made". | |
| "Although the timing is somewhat later than we had hoped, we do welcome this move as the way forward and we will be working on the ground to ensure that it is completed," he said. | |
| Alliance leader David Ford said the development appeared to be significant. | |
| "For decades, paramilitary groups from both sides have held communities in their grip of fear. I hope that this move will lead to the end, not simply another endgame,"he said. | |
| The UVF was formed in 1966 and is believed to have murdered more than 500 people during the Troubles. | The UVF was formed in 1966 and is believed to have murdered more than 500 people during the Troubles. |
| In 2007 it declared that it was renouncing violence. | In 2007 it declared that it was renouncing violence. |
| The UVF announced just over two years that it had put its weapons beyond the reach of its membership. | |
| The Ulster Defence Association has also been engaged in a series of meetings with the general, but it is not yet clear if the organisation has started the process of decommissioning. |