The unwillingness of Westminster to give effective directives to the Army to rout the IRA encouraged the formation through frustration, of Loyalist para-military groups determined to do themselves what the Army should have been instructed to do. As Westminster had assumed responsibility for the security of Northern Ireland and had failed in that obligation, able-bodied Loyalists had a moral right to defend their country themselves.

We have come to realise that the Provisional Alliance will listen only to the speeches of the Machine Gun and the orations of the Car Bomb. Mr. Colt and Mr. Webley, it seems, are the only negotiators that the Provos will pay attention to and, it seems, that once again we will have to employ the products of these two illustrious gentlemen in getting our message through to the Provisional leadership.

I feel there was a critical time in my life, where had I been two years either side of it I actually don't think I'd have become involved … [but] the die had been cast. There's a certain point – a Rubicon – when you cross it, there is no going back.