There is an enormous irony in the allegation from the UDA, of all organisations, that others have been guilty of crimes against a community.
The UDA has been responsible for too many outrages to detail over the last 30 years and is in no position to point the finger at anyone else.
Perhaps we should be slightly relieved that the UDA, as our report and photographs yesterday revealed, has decided to sym-bolically humiliate rather than physically brutalise those it regards as delinquents
However, the truth is that paramilitary groups must never be allowed to present themselves as the guardians of law and order.
Those who are suspected of committing offences deserve legal advice and the opp-ortunity to face a fair trial.
The courts in Northern Ireland and elsewhere may have their faults – which in many cases are being addressed – but are the only institution which can administer justice.
Any idea that the UDA has the slightest interest in human rights remains ludicrous.
