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| Loyalist UVF 'destroys weapons' | Loyalist UVF 'destroys weapons' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| One of Northern Ireland's main loyalist paramilitary groups has decommissioned what is understood to be a "significant" quantity of weapons. | One of Northern Ireland's main loyalist paramilitary groups has decommissioned what is understood to be a "significant" quantity of weapons. |
| The government was told of the UVF move by General John de Chastelain, head of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD). | The government was told of the UVF move by General John de Chastelain, head of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD). |
| It is understood General de Chastelain watched the act in the past week. | It is understood General de Chastelain watched the act in the past week. |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney said the amount of weaponry put beyond use was still not exactly known. | BBC home affairs correspondent Vincent Kearney said the amount of weaponry put beyond use was still not exactly known. |
| "My understanding is that General de Chastelain and a number of independent witnesses visited at least one arms dump in the past week or so and witnessed weapons being put beyond use," he said. | "My understanding is that General de Chastelain and a number of independent witnesses visited at least one arms dump in the past week or so and witnessed weapons being put beyond use," he said. |
| "I am told the general then briefed the Northern Ireland Office on what happened. | "I am told the general then briefed the Northern Ireland Office on what happened. |
| "The only people who know exactly what was decommissioned are the UVF leadership, the general and his team and those eye witnesses. | |
| "I understand the general has a statement ready, but they can't issue it until authorised to do so by the UVF leadership." | |
| Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde said the move was "good news" which he thought was "very significant". | Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde said the move was "good news" which he thought was "very significant". |
| The commission said it "expected to be reporting to the government at the end of August". | The commission said it "expected to be reporting to the government at the end of August". |
| Peter Robinson said the DUP had been in discussions with the UVF | Peter Robinson said the DUP had been in discussions with the UVF |
| 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." |
| He said they were aware the groups had been engaging with the IICD, but said they did "not want to pre-empt the outcome of this process". | He said they were aware the groups had been engaging with the IICD, but said they did "not want to pre-empt the outcome of this process". |
| Politics | Politics |
| Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly said that, if the news proved to be true, his party welcomed it. | Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly said that, if the news proved to be true, his party welcomed it. |
| "It is also important that other armed organisations go down this road," he said. | "It is also important that other armed organisations go down this road," he said. |
| "Politics is now working and there is no basis for any organisation holding onto arms." | "Politics is now working and there is no basis for any organisation holding onto arms." |
| Leader of the UVF-linked Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) Dawn Purvis said she was not able to confirm decommissioning had taken place. | Leader of the UVF-linked Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) Dawn Purvis said she was not able to confirm decommissioning had taken place. |
| She said, however, that loyalists had been involved in ongoing contacts with the IICD. | She said, however, that loyalists had been involved in ongoing contacts with the IICD. |
| "That is to be welcomed," she said. "That is where the process of decommissioning has to be dealt with." | "That is to be welcomed," she said. "That is where the process of decommissioning has to be dealt with." |
| 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 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. | 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. |