Jamie Bryson says it’s ‘regrettable loyalists didn’t get more’ IRA members during The Troubles

The loyalist activist has clarified comments made on the BBC Borderlands podcast

Jamie Bryson has said it is “regrettable or the security forces didn’t get more” IRA members during The Troubles. The loyalist activist took to X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday night to clarify his contribution on the BBC Borderlands podcast.

The podcast, which first aired earlier this week, seeks to ask key questions about the shape and timing of any potential referendum on Irish unity and what it could mean for politics and society.

Mr Bryson and former Sinn Féin MP Michelle Gildernew were directly asked, “do you think murder was justified?” during The Troubles. The pair agreed there was a justification at the time.

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He said: “I stand over every word of my contribution on BBC Borderlands podcast Unlike ‘no alternative’ Sinn Fein and Ms Gildernew, I made clear that there was never any justification for the murder of innocent civilians regardless of background.

“I say it explicitly for the avoidance of any ambiguity: it was not justified to murder innocent catholics or nationalists.

“But let me be very clear lest my remarks be misunderstood: yes, it was absolutely justified for both loyalists and the security forces to kill IRA terrorists. It is regrettable loyalists or the security forces didn’t get more of them.

“And no I won’t be clarifying, apologising or retracting and if nationalists and republicans are offended, I really don’t care.”

On the BBC podcast, former Fermanagh-South Tyrone MP, Ms Gildernew, said the Army helped spark violence during The Troubles. She added: “I wish it had been avoided, but I think the British Army brought a war to our streets and the repercussions of that were as a result of what happened.

“But I also think that if we’re not talking about history, a few miles from where I live there was a bonfire [in Moygashel] with a boat full of migrants on it burned.”

Mr Bryson then said Ms Gildernew had not answered the question, pressing her on her response and stating he would be honest with his. She said: “Yes, I do (think murder was justified).”

Responding with his opinion on the matter, Mr Bryson said: “That’s fine, at least we can be honest with each other. I believe loyalists had a right to do the same the other way. That’s fair enough, at least we’re honest.”

When host Chris Buckler said it was “awful” the pair agreed “murders were justified in this place,” Mr Bryson added he thinks “the murder of IRA people was justified, yes, not civilians.”

Also appearing on the podcast was former DUP MP for North Antrim, Ian Paisley, who said he was “open” to hearing “persuasive arguments” around the potential of a united Ireland.

He is the son of Ian Paisley, one of the founders of the DUP who went on to serve as First Minister of Northern Ireland and later became Lord Bannside.

“It’s who and what I am. I’m a Brit, I’m a British citizen, I’m a British person, my identity is British, my history is British and my emotions are British,” he said.

He indicated to the podcast that he appeared on alongside former Sinn Fein MP Michelle Gildernew in at times testy exchanges that he was open to “persuasive arguments”.

“My mind is open, I’m a true believer in Britain and this place being British,” he said. “But if you have got persuasive arguments please present them because to date I have not heard them.”

However, Mr Paisley also said: “My flag won’t fly in that country, the flag my wife’s great-grandfather perished for, and that’s a multi-generation thing.

“We have people who are living today who carry the bullet wounds for defending this country, their flag will not fly in that country, their sovereign will not be sovereign of that country.”

In a statement on Tuesday, the DUP said they wished to “make clear that Mr Ian Paisley is appearing in this series in his own personal capacity and not on behalf of the Democratic Unionist Party”.

“As Ian is no longer in public office, he is entitled to give his own views but he is not appearing on behalf of the party,” they said.

“The Democratic Unionist Party is not interested in engaging or being persuaded on the so-called merits of a united Ireland or new Ireland or any other label those who want to pursue that aspiration might put on their latest project.”

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