The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) declared an end to its campaign of violence yesterday and said that it has put its arsenal "beyond reach" but not "beyond use".
The UVF and its associated paramilitary group, the Red Hand Commando, in a statement in Belfast said that from midnight last night they were assuming a "non-military, civilianised role".
"We encourage our volunteers to embrace the challenges which continue to face their communities and support their continued participation in non-military capacities," said the UVF.
The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British prime minister Tony Blair welcomed the announcement as a further strengthening of the peace process ahead of the scheduled formal return of devolution at Stormont on Tuesday.
Other politicians guardedly welcomed the statement while criticising the paramilitary groups for failing to fully disarm. Gen John de Chastelain's decommissioning body said the UVF's actions did not meet the legal requirements for decommissioning as agreed by the political parties in the Belfast Agreement.
The President, Mary McAleese, welcomed the announ-cement as an important step on the loyalist paramilitaries' path from war to peace. Speaking in New York during a five-day visit to the US, she said loyalists had much to look forward to as a new, peaceful Northern Ireland emerges. "There are obviously more steps that need to be taken. I'm very conscious of the reaction from the decommissioning commission that more is required but none the less it's good news and is a step in the right direction" Mrs McAleese said.
The UVF statement, in the name of "Captain William Johnston, adjutant", was read by Gusty Spence who founded the modern version of the UVF in 1966 and who in October 1994 also read a statement declaring ceasefires by the UVF and UDA.
The UVF and Red Hand Commando were responsible for more than 540 murders including more than 20 killings, mostly of Protestants, carried out since the ceasefire. The organisations are also heavily involved in criminality including drugs, racketeering and extortion.
The UVF statement justified "the legitimacy of our tactical response to violent nationalism, yet reiterate the sincere expression of abject and true remorse to all innocent victims of the conflict". It saluted the "dedication and fortitude of our officers, NCOs and volunteers".
Some callers to the BBC in Belfast yesterday, who said they were still paying protection money to the UVF, queried whether they could now safely cease these payments.
The UVF said it was opposed to all criminality and instructed its members to co-operate fully "with the lawful authorities in all possible instances".
"Moreover, we state unequivocally that any volunteer engaged in criminality does so in direct contravention of brigade command and thus we welcome any recourse through due process of law," it added.
The PSNI said, "While we welcome this announcement, individuals and organisations will be judged by their actions - actions always speak louder than words".
The UVF statement follows a series of meetings held by its political wing, the Progressive Unionist Party, with the Taoiseach, the Northern Secretary Peter Hain and the PSNI chief constable Sir Hugh Orde.
The UVF said it was ceasing all recruitment, "military" training and targeting, that it was de-activating all its active service units, and that "all ordnance has been put beyond reach and the IICD [decommissioning body] instructed accordingly".
Former UVF member and former PUP Assembly member Billy Hutchinson said UVF guns were put "beyond reach" but not "beyond use".
