Within Northern Ireland, the two dominant communities, unionism and nationalism, both have fringe groups largely based working class urban centres in areas such as Belfast, who justify and participate in the use of violence. Their defenders justify the violence, by arguing that they are 'defending' their community. Opponents accuse them of mindless counter-productive terrorism and of major involvement in the drugs trade in Northern Ireland. Major loyalist terrorist groups include Red Hand Commandos, the Ulster Defence Association, Ulster Freedom Fighters, though such groups often use 'cover' names when carrying out violent acts and murders.
The loyalist feud of 2002 arose after former prisoner Johnny Adair and former politician John White were expelled from the Ulster Defence Association. Many members of the 'C' company stood by Adair and White, while the rest of the organisation were involved with attacks on these groups and vice versa. The killings numbered four, with the first victim being a nephew of a leading loyalist opposed to Adair, Jonathon Stewart, killed at a party on December 26, 2002. Roy Green was killed in retaliation. The latest victims were John 'Grug' Gregg (famous for a failed attempt on the life of Gerry Adams) and Robert Carson, another Loyalist.
A loyalistfeud refers to any of the sporadic feuds which have erupted almost routinely between Northern Ireland's various loyalist paramilitary groups since the late 1990s.
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