Red Hand Defenders - Ideology and modus Operandi

Ideology and modus Operandi

The Red Hand Defenders uses violence toward the goal of maintaining British control in Northern Ireland. Like other loyalist groups, the RHD is an adversary of Irish republican paramilitaries and Irish nationalists who seek to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a united Ireland. In essence, Irish Catholic nationalists aspire to be part of the Republic of Ireland, while Protestant unionists wish to preserve their ties with Great Britain. The resulting long-term conflict in Northern Ireland is often referred to as "The Troubles". However, unlike the two biggest loyalist paramilitaries—the Ulster Defence Association and Ulster Volunteer Force—the group fully opposes the peace process and peace agreements, including the Good Friday Agreement.

Their tactics include shootings, bombings and arson, with victims often being Catholic civilians. However, the victimization of Catholics seems to be based on politics rather than religion. The religious emphasis nonetheless exacerbates the underlying political problems. The group’s "soft" civilian targets have included Catholic schools and Catholic postal workers, as well as homes and businesses. The weapons used by the RHD include homemade pipe bombs, handguns and grenades. The group does not appear to receive external aid.