Loyalist Volunteer Force

The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) is believed to have formed in 1996 from disaffected 'maverick' members of the mid-Ulster brigade of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). The LVF was opposed to the ceasefire that had been called by the Combined Loyalist Military Command (CLMC) in October 1994. The LVF was believed to be responsible for a series of sectarian attacks, most notably the killing of Michael McGoldrick (31), a Catholic civilian, who was shot dead outside Lurgan on 8 July 1996. The LVF was proscribed by the British government in June 1997. Then a few months later its leader at that time, Billy Wright, was shot and killed by the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) inside the Maze Prison on 27 December 1997. In the following weeks 10 Catholic civilians were shot dead by the LVF and the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) in retaliation for Wright's killing. Although opposed to Good Friday Agreement (April 1998), the organisation decided to call a ceasefire on 15 May 1998 but made clear its continuing opposition to the ongoing peace process. Following that the LVF was suspected of continuing involvement in terrorist attacks and of having close links with a number of fringe loyalist paramilitaries who had engaged in a series of incidents. In December 1998 the LVF became the first paramilitary organisation to decommission some of its weapons under the auspices of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD). There were no further acts of decommissioning by the LVF. The LVF engaged in a number of feuds with the UVF. In July and August 2005 the UVF shot dead four people who were claimed to be 'associated' with the LVF. On 30 October 2005 the LVF announced that it had instructed its 'military units' to stand down. Membership: Membership was probably numbered in the dozens. Arsenal: The LVF was believed to have a small number of rifles, machineguns, and handguns; a small amount of Powergel (commercial plastic explosive). The LVF was the first paramilitary organisation to hand over some weapons, for destruction, to the International Commission on Decommissioning. See also: Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) Ceasefire Statement, 15 May 1998; Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF). (1997). 'Leading the Way', The Loyalist Volunteer Force Policy Document, (estimated date, 1 November 1997), . Portadown: LVF. ... -