IRA withdraws weapons pledge
The Irish Republican Army has withdrawn its offer to verifiably put its weapons beyond use and comply with the decommissioning process under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
In a statement published in the Dublin-based Republican newspaper An Phoblacht, the paramilitary group said the British and Irish governments had “tried its patience to the limit”.
Last year, the IRA said it would abide with the ceasefire and carry out three acts of weapons decommissioning.
But many believe the Provisionals perpetrated the ?26.5m Northern Bank raid in December.
On Tuesday, Tony Blair said the IRA was the sole obstacle to power-sharing in the province.
The IRA denies any involvement in the raid.
The statement from the Republican paramilitary group said unionist political parties were intent on the “humiliation” of the IRA.
“Our initiatives have been attacked, devalued and dismissed by pro-unionist and anti-republican elements, including the British government. The Irish government have lent themselves to this.
“At this time it appears that the two governments are intent on changing the basis of the peace process. They claim that ‘the obstacle now to a lasting and durable settlement is the continuing paramilitary and criminal activity of the IRA’. We reject this.”
The statement said an agreement on power-sharing was squandered by both governments “pandering to rejectionist unionism instead of upholding their own commitments and honouring their own obligations”.
The IRA said it did not intend to remain “quiescent within this unacceptable and unstable situation”.
“Peace cannot be built on ultimatums, false and malicious accusations or bad faith,” the statement said.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said the statement signified a “deepening crisis” in the peace process.
“The two governments have opted for confrontation. They are engaging in the sterile politics of the blame game without any regard for the consequences,” he said.
“This negative approach has effectively scuttled the enormous work done in persuading the IRA to undertake the unprecedented initiatives which they publicly outlined in December.”
Democratic Unionist Party leader Dr Ian Paisley said the statement demonstrated the IRA had little intention of decommissioning its weapons for good.
“The Northern Bank heist confirmed that the IRA never put an offer on the table that they intended to keep,” he said.
“The IRA had never any intention of decommissioning in a credible, transparent and verifiable way.
“They never had any intention of giving up their criminal empire. That is why they walked away from the table last year.”
Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday told politicians in the Dail that Sinn Fein was aware the IRA was planning the heist and other robberies at the time of peace talks with the Irish and British governments.
Downing Street last night downplayed suggestions the IRA would return to terrorism.
