CONGRESSMAN SLAMS REAL IRA
Congressman slams Real IRA
US Congressman Peter King, a longtime champion of Irish nationalism on Capitol Hill, today called on the 32 County Sovereignty Committee and its military wing, the Real IRA, to disband immediately.
And the influential politician also called on President Clinton to visit Omagh when he tours Northern Ireland next month.
"I believe it would send a powerful message of hope and solidarity," he said.
The American urged 32 County Sovereignty leader Bernadette Sands McKevitt to stop using the memory of her brother, hunger striker Bobby Sands, to justify the breakaway group's bloody actions.
King, close to the Sands family for many years, said that Bernadette was "entitled to the memory of her brother" but that she was "not entitled to use that memory to subvert the Republican movement."
"I believe Bobby Sands would have supported the Good Friday Agreement," he said.
"I look at all the people who were in jail with him - Gerry Adams, Gerry Kelly, Danny Morrison and his election agent Owen Carron.
"They all went through the same struggle with him and I believe they would all still be united."
Mr King also said he believes that Irish American supporters of the Real IRA should quickly think again.
"Any Irish American supporting the Real IRA has to realize what tremendous harm they are doing," he said.
Mr King, however, said he opposed the Irish or British governments reintroducing internment.
"I don't think it would serve any useful purpose at this stage - there are enough laws on the books," he said.
US Congressman Peter King, a longtime champion of Irish nationalism on Capitol Hill, today called on the 32 County Sovereignty Committee and its military wing, the Real IRA, to disband immediately.
And the influential politician also called on President Clinton to visit Omagh when he tours Northern Ireland next month.
"I believe it would send a powerful message of hope and solidarity," he said.
The American urged 32 County Sovereignty leader Bernadette Sands McKevitt to stop using the memory of her brother, hunger striker Bobby Sands, to justify the breakaway group's bloody actions.
King, close to the Sands family for many years, said that Bernadette was "entitled to the memory of her brother" but that she was "not entitled to use that memory to subvert the Republican movement."
"I believe Bobby Sands would have supported the Good Friday Agreement," he said.
"I look at all the people who were in jail with him - Gerry Adams, Gerry Kelly, Danny Morrison and his election agent Owen Carron.
"They all went through the same struggle with him and I believe they would all still be united."
Mr King also said he believes that Irish American supporters of the Real IRA should quickly think again.
"Any Irish American supporting the Real IRA has to realize what tremendous harm they are doing," he said.
Mr King, however, said he opposed the Irish or British governments reintroducing internment.
"I don't think it would serve any useful purpose at this stage - there are enough laws on the books," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0110
Published Date: 20-Aug-98
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