John McMichael UDA South Belfast Brigade

1 john mcmichael

1.1 1977-84
1.2 1985 until death
1.3 aftermath of killing

john mcmichael
1977-84

mcmichael depicted on mural in roden street

with south belfast formalised brigade, lisburn-based john mcmichael emerged brigadier and, due closeness uda leader andy tyrie, became 1 of prominent figures within wider movement. following heavy activity of years before, under guidance of mcmichael , tyrie uda slowed down run of killings. responsible deaths of 3 catholics in 1977 , 2 in 1978, significant reduction.

this changed in 1979, when group of commando units formed within uda under name ulster defence force (udf), in order take advantage of british intelligence corps documents uda had obtained detailing whereabouts of several republican leaders. although udf officially outside uda s brigade structure under overall command of mcmichael , included several of trusted south belfast brigade lieutenants within ranks. notable action udf, attack on home of bernadette mcaliskey, carried out south belfast members of udf, including mcmichael s closest confidante ray smallwoods. tom graham of lisburn , andrew watson seymour hill, dunmurry, both parts of south belfast brigade area, subsequently convicted , imprisoned along smallwoods attack. when news of army intelligence list being in uda possession leaked press during trial, udf project abandoned amid awkward questions military-uda collusion. mcmichael amongst number of uda leaders arrested during subsequent investigations collusion, although no charges brought against him. mcmichael candidate in belfast south by-election, 1982, south belfast brigade scaled down role.

1985 until death

during protests against anglo-irish agreement in 1985, brigade became involved in series of sectarian petrol bomb attacks on homes of catholics in lisburn. mcmichael led team based in taughmonagh had job of organising fire-bombing campaign against shops , businesses in republic of ireland. on 7 february 1987 group detonated 2 bombs in dublin , donegal, causing £2 million worth of damage , garnering wide coverage in republic s media. in return more basic sectarian killings, south belfast brigade added former east belfast brigade member michael stone ranks. acting directly under mcmichael s command, stone carried out series of killings of both republican political activists , other catholic civilians.

john mcmichael killed bomb attached car outside hilden court home, in lisburn s loyalist hilden estate, on 22 december 1987, shortly before fortieth birthday. on way deliver christmas turkeys families of loyalist prisoners. @ 8:20pm, after had turned on ignition of car , vehicle reversed down driveway, movement-sensitive switch in detonating mechanism of 5 pound booby-trap bomb attached underside activated, , device exploded. mcmichael lost both legs in blast , suffered grave internal injuries. rushed lagan valley hospital died 2 hours later. ira claimed responsibility killing.

aftermath of killing

in late 1980s james craig, had been important figure in west belfast brigade, moved on south belfast brigade after being ordered leave shankill road. operated chief collector brigade , presence ensured became associated racketeering west belfast had been during tenure brigade. craig killed in october 1988 part of internal uda feud, rumours rife had been involved in setting mcmichael s assassination. rumours suggested mcmichael had indicated desire tackle racketeering shortly before death, although suggestion rejected peter taylor, argues rackets profiting brigade whole (as chief collector craig entitled percentage of everything) there no desire amongst brigade leadership cut off source of revenue. nonetheless, number of arrests made relating brigade s rackets , in january 1990 number of sentences handed down several of craig s former associates, jackie mcdonald sentenced ten years imprisonment blackmail, intimidation , making threats kill.