28 years since the loyalist ceasefires the UDA is still armed, still involved in crime and has continued to murder people.  

Host: Ciarán Dunbar, Guest: Ciaran Barnes, chief reporter with The Sunday Life.     

The BelTel brings you some of Northern Ireland's top journalists, Allison Morris, Sam McBride and Suzanne Breen to name but a few, giving you the inside stories behind what is in the news. Presented by Ciarán Dunbar, the Bel Tel investigates, debates and informs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The BelTel

The UDA - why does it still exist? 

A majority of those polled in from the latest Belfast Telegraph / Lucidtalk polling believe that Gerry Adams was a member of the IRA.  The former Sinn Féin leader has always denied being a member of the organisation.  
However, the overwhelming majority of people across the political spectrum say the matter has no impact on how they would vote.  Sinn Féin remain as the most popular party, despite First Minister Michelle O’Neill’s personability popularity dropping.  And over 60% don’t want US President Trump to visit – but unionists and nationalists sharply disagree on the Donald.   

Ciarán Dunbar is joined by the Belfast Telegraph’s Political Editor Suzanne Breen. 

 LucidTalk: Majority believe Gerry Adams was in IRA – but don’t care  

When a lone Garda decided to arrest a squad of SAS men found in the Republic of Ireland on 1976, little did he know he had sparked an international incident which would involve the Taoiseach and Prime Minister – or that it would see the Irish government interfere with the justice system. Top secret files have revealed how the PM drew up a law to let two SAS men go on the run from the Irish and that Dublin were determined that the soldiers would never do time. 

Belfast Telegraph Northern Ireland editor Sam McBride discovered the file at the National Archives in Kew, London.  

 

Kew Files: What happened when the Garda arrested the SAS men 

The jury at the inquest on the death of Noah Donohoe has now heard an 11th week of evidence. Noah had been missing for six days after leaving his home in south Belfast before his body was discovered in a north Belfast culvert. 

On Monday, an expert witness said it is likely that the 14-year-old died close to midnight on the day he went missing, as the tide rose in the culvert. A post-mortem examination found the cause of death was likely to be drowning. 

On Thursday, the jury heard members of the public present at the search ‘were angry at police’ as ‘conspiracy theories’ were ‘floating about’. 

Liam Tunney is covering the inquest for the Belfast Telegraph. 

The UDA - why does it still exist?

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