A victims’ group has slammed the "stinking historical revisionism" surrounding paramilitary organisations, warning that justifying acts of paramilitaries was compounding the "torture" experienced by those who lost loves ones.
The director of the South East Fermanagh Foundation (SEFF) group spoke out after claims by Jamie Bryson that loyalist paramilitary groups including the UVF were "counter-terrorists".
The high-profile loyalist made his comments on BBC Radio Ulster's Stephen Nolan show on Monday.
It is estimated that loyalist paramilitaries killed more than 740 people during the Troubles.
SEFF director Kenny Donaldson told the Irish News that claims around paramilitary groups being justified were "deluded".
SEFF recently condemned both the IRA commemoration in south Armagh and last weekend's parade for murdered UVF commander Robert Seymour which Mr Bryson attended.
"Loyalist terrorist organisations perpetrated violent acts motivated by ethnic and/or sectarian hatred," Mr Donaldson said.
"The same is true of Irish republicanism, who were not freedom fighters, but rather were subversives engaged in terrorism with the objective of overthrowing the Northern Ireland state and their violence was also motivated by ethnic and/or sectarian influences.
"Those who claim otherwise are deluded and are engaged in stinking historical revisionism. The impact of their words and claims is to further compound the torture experienced by the innocents left behind by their actions."
