IRA statement condemns government attitudes

The IRA has issued a second statement following what it describes as a “playing down” of the importance the two governments placed on an announcement by the paramilitary group to withdraw an offer to decommission all weapons.

On Thursday, the republican paramilitary group declared it was withdrawing an offer to decommission, blaming the British and Irish Governments for trying its “patience to the limits".

In response, the British Government said it was not surprised at the IRA's position.

"The fact remains that it was the IRA that did carry out the Northern Bank robbery and as the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach said yesterday therefore it is the IRA that is the sole obstacle to moving forward,” a Government spokesperson said.

However, within hours a second IRA statement was issued. It said: "The two governments are trying to play down the importance of our statement because they are making a mess of the peace process.

"Do not underestimate the seriousness of the situation."

Unionist immediately siezed on the remarks with the DUP’s Jeffrey Donaldson branding them “sinister”.

Mr Donaldson accused republicans of behaving "childishly" while senior Ulster Unionist MLA Sir Reg Empey said it was an attempt by republicans to bully the community.

Sinn Fein's Mitchel McLaughlin, meanwhile, described the current situation as “very serious”.

Earlier in the day, Secretary of State Paul Murphy said an inclusive Executive in Northern Ireland could not be established while Sinn Fein remained linked to the IRA which, he said, continued to engage in acts of criminality.

Mr Murphy denied a Sinn Fein claim that the Government was seeking confrontation and stressed that the criminality had to stop as it remained a major obstacle to progress.

(MB/SP)