Stephen Farry stated: “This report is a damning indictment on the UVF. The murder of Mr Moffett was a brutal crime, and it is clear that it was sanctioned at the highest levels of that organisation.
“The old notion that paramilitary ceasefires only really applied to attacks on the so-called ‘other side’ or the state, but left open the capacity for paramilitaries to act at will within their own perceived communities, has long since been discredited and dismissed. Any and all paramilitary activity is a breach of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
“There cannot be any scope for any paramilitary organisation to operate in any capacity. There must be an end to all forms of violence.
“Enormous strides have been taken by Loyalist organisations in terms of ending violence and decommissioning weapons. This murder was a major stepback in that regard.
“This killing arguably has implications for the formal status of the UVF ceasefire. The UVF have been given the opportunity to demonstrate again its commitment to the peace process and that all of its weapons have been decommissioned.”
ENDS