Loyalist weapons remain

Some commentators have pointed out that many unionist politicians have said very little indeed about the fact that loyalist paramilitary organisations remain armed. Unionist politicians may argue that they have always condemned loyalist paramilitaries. However, some might feel they have disproportionately focused on the existence or otherwise of an unarmed, inactive organisation – the IRA - much more than armed loyalist groups. This perception, combined with the messages from the UK government that they will apparently not order the police to seize weapons and that they are extending the amnesty period for handing in weapons, hardly amounts to real pressure on the loyalist groups to move.