A MEMORIAL to a senior UDA man murdered in a samurai sword attack two years ago has been built without permission on Housing Executive land in south Belfast.
The brick monument was unveiled in the Belvoir estate on Sunday to mark the second anniversary of the murders of UDA man Colin 'Bap' Lindsay and his friend Stanley Wightman.
The pair were attacked in Lindsay's bungalow at Kirkistown Walk in the estate in July 2015. Lindsay (47) died at the scene and his 52-year-old friend died later in hospital.
Albert Armstrong, of Grays Park, Ballylenaghan Upper, is serving life with a minimum 14-year jail term for the double killing.
Union flags and wreaths including some bearing UDA emblems were placed on the memorial during its unveiling on Sunday afternoon.
Posting a picture of the monument on its Facebook page, the Loyalist magazine wrote: "Lovely tribute to Colin and Stanley QS [Quis Separabit]."
Earlier last week it described the event as the "official opening of a memorial garden".
A post read: "This Sunday the people of Belvoir and beyond will remember their good friends Colin Lindsay and Stanley Wightman.
"The ceremony will include the official opening of a Memorial Garden which will take place at 3pm sharp."
The Housing Executive (NIHE) said its Kirkistown Walk property where the double-murder happened "has been re-let and has a current tenant".
A spokesman added: "We are aware that a memorial has been placed on our land, nearby.
"We did not give approval for this."
SDLP councillor Donal Lyons criticised the construction of the memorial.
"Everyone has the right to remember their dead but there is a world of difference between grieving and walling off plots of public land to erect paramilitary-style memorials in the middle of housing estates," he said.
"We've seen a pattern develop across Belfast where these plots quickly become a focal point for paramilitary-linked marches, murals and other attempts to intimidate and we need to bring a quick end to the political ambiguity which facilitates inaction against such groups.
"The UDA is a proscribed terrorist organisation who committed hundreds of murders during and after the Troubles and 20 years on from the Good Friday Agreement they are still involved in criminality and terror.
"Every time they raise their ugly head without being challenged it erodes the confidence that people have in the rule of law and raises the worrying question of who is actually calling the shots."
Last year loyalists had suggested demolishing the property and creating a memorial garden, but NIHE at the time said "no representation" had been made to it on the matter.
