Wright rapidly ascended to a position of prominence within the UVF ranks , eventually assuming leadership of the local Portadown unit . He became commander of the UVF 's Mid-Ulster Brigade in the early 1990s , having taken over from his mentor Robin " the Jackal " Jackson , who had been the leader since July 1975 and one of Wright 's instructors in the use of weaponry . Jackson was implicated in the 1974 Dublin car bombings , the Miami Showband killings , and a series of sectarian attacks . Founded in 1972 by its first commander Billy Hanna , the Mid-Ulster Brigade operated mainly around the Portadown and Lurgan areas . It was a self-contained , semi-autonomous unit which maintained a considerable distance from the Brigade Staff in Belfast . Holding the rank of brigadier , Wright directed up to 20 sectarian killings , according to the Northern Ireland security forces , although he was never convicted in connection with any of them
Miami Showband killings
Miami Showband killings
Billy Wright (loyalist)