Combined Loyalist Military Command

An umbrella organisation established in 1991(?) to co-ordinate the activities of all the Loyalist paramilitary groups. It was made up of 12 representatives from the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF) - a 'cover name' used by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) - and the Red Hand Commandos (RHC). It first came to public attention on 17 April 1991 when it called a 'cease-fire' during inter-party talks held at Stormont in Northern Ireland. This 'cease-fire' ended on 4 July 1991. On Thursday 13 October 1994 the CLMC issued a statement, read by Gusty Spense, that it would "cease all operational hostilities as from 12 midnight". This was in response to the Irish Republican Army's (IRA) cease-fire of six weeks earlier. At present (February 1997) this cease-fire has been 'officially' maintained despite the ending of the IRA cease-fire on 9 February 1996.