Alliance Leader calls for UDA to go further and decommission its weapons

12.00.00pm GMT Sun 11th Nov 2007

Alliance Party leader David Ford MLA has welcomed the statement by the UDA, who today announced the standing down of the Ulster Freedom Fighters. The UDA has also stated that it is putting its weapons beyond use. Mr Ford did however state that the UDA would need to do considerably more by decommissioning all of its weapons.

David Ford said: "This step is welcome although it is extremely limited if the UDA is serious about moving forward. It is has to verifiably decommission weapons and not just state that they are beyond use.

"Similarly, standing down the Ulster Freedom Fighters which was widely regarded as a flag of convenience does not imply the whole organisation has given up criminal activities. I would like to see the whole of the UDA being stood down.

"Although I welcome this statement, the UDA will have to go to significantly further to provide confidence to the wider community."