US politician silent as News Letter questions him on claim ‘government ran UVF and UDA’

An American politician who claims both the UDA and UVF were run by the government has declined to respond to the News Letter when challenged over the issue.
By Adam Kula
Published 5th Dec 2020, 10:03 BST
A Tweet from Kevin Boyle earlier this year, criticising a mural which celebrates the Ulster connections of Confederate figures (the Confederacy was the southern, slavery-supporting side of the US Civil War of the 1860s)A Tweet from Kevin Boyle earlier this year, criticising a mural which celebrates the Ulster connections of Confederate figures (the Confederacy was the southern, slavery-supporting side of the US Civil War of the 1860s)
A Tweet from Kevin Boyle earlier this year, criticising a mural which celebrates the Ulster connections of Confederate figures (the Confederacy was the southern, slavery-supporting side of the US Civil War of the 1860s)

Kevin J Boyle, a Democratic member of Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives, made the claim on Twitter following the announcement on Monday that there will be no new investigation into the shooting of Pat Finucane.

Mr Boyle is the son of a Donegal emigrant, and the state he helps to govern is a huge one; it is the fifth biggest in America (just behind New York) with almost 13 million residents.

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But his connections go higher still; he is also the brother of fellow Democrat Brendan Boyle, a serving member of Congress.

He had written the following on Twitter: “The British government through its intelligence, army and police ran the UDA and UVF in the north of Ireland but still want to hide that fact.

“[The] British government announcement there would still be no investigation into human rights lawyer Pat Finucane’s murder is more of them covering up.”

The News Letter put it to him that the idea the UVF and UDA were directly controlled by the UK government was a serious exaggeration.

At time of writing, there was no response.

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However, some other Twitter users had also challenged him, and he expanded on his views in response to them.

For example, he said: “Brian Nelson who was a UDA leader/British agent playing a key role in a massive arms shipment with the UVF and Ulster Resistance is proof positive.

“Murders of innocents greatly accelerated after this shipment.”

The remarks come as the family of Pat Finucane declared this week they will try and solicit the support of president-elect Joe Biden for their cause.

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They have pledged to fight on to obtain a full public inquiry into his 1989 killing (a which would hold hearings in public and be able to compel evidence and witnesses).

It is not the first time a US politician has been in the headlines in recent times over comments about the Troubles. See below:

Click here: IN FULL: San Francisco mayor apologises over official honour praising McGuinness

Click here: Wikipedia page of San Francisco mayor changed after outrage over McGuinness honour

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