Shoukri's expulsion rejected by UDA brigade

The UDA in north Belfast has rejected the instruction to expel the Shoukri brothers from the organisation.

The 'North Belfast Brigade' of the UDA today said that it rejected the decision of the UDA`s inner council to expel Ihab and Andre Shoukri, and a third man.

The Brigade said that they had "consulted widely with its membership. It is their choice that the present leadership remain, with their full support and confidence. This decision should be fully respected and accepted".

The UDA is expected to issue a second statement later today.

Yesterday, the paramilitary organisation's 'inner council' released a statement saying that members of the group in north Belfast, were to be expelled.

The statement read: "We, the ruling body of the above named association, have, following a protracted period of negotiation and investigation, decided to expel a few individual members from our association in North Belfast.

"When this process is complete it is our expectation that the brigade in that area will again join with us in council so as to represent the best needs of the people of that area.

"We pay tribute to all our members and the north Belfast community for their patience and for the contributions that they have made to the debate about crime and its effects on our community.

"It is our duty as defenders of the Protestant people whom we serve, to create safer communities that are drug free, and where our people can live without fear of oppression."

Although the statement did not name those to be excluded, loyalist sources later revealed that it referred to the Shoukri brothers, along with another individual, in an attempt to clean up the organisation's act.

It is understood that the move came after allegations by other UDA leaders that the two brothers had been involved in criminal activity.

Earlier this year, a Belfast court revealed that Andre Shoukri had gambled over £850,000 in a bookmakers shop in the north of city.

It is understood that the brothers lavish lifestyle had provoked resentment from older and more traditional UDA members, as they rose to power within the group, and Andre's increasing gambling addiction eventually sealed their fate.

Andre Shoukri is currently in jail on remand facing charges of blackmail, intimidation and money laundering.

His brother Ihab had charges of membership of the UDA and UFF dropped earlier this month, after a judge ruled that there was not enough evidence to convict him.

However, senior loyalist and security sources have said that both men are leading members of the organisation.

It is understood that both men were told last week that they were to be removed from the group.

Sinn Fein Assembly member Gerry Kelly said that it was irrelevant who headed the UDA, the Ulster Volunteer Force and other loyalist organisations and they were more interested in what activities loyalist groups were engaged in.

He said: "Nationalists want to hear from the UDA and UVF that they are ending their sectarian campaign against Catholics, their racist attacks on ethnic minorities and the drug dealing and other activities they are engaged in."

(EF/SP)