AHERN UPS PRESSURE ON CONTINUITY IRA FACTION
Ahern ups pressure on Continuity IRA Faction
By GENE McKENNA and TOM BRADY TAOISEACH
Bertie Ahern yesterday stepped up the pressure on the Continuity IRA - the only republican group still to declare a ceasefire - to end its campaign in the wake of the Real IRA cessation announcement.
Mr Ahern said it was important now that the Continuity IRA should clarify its position, saying his information earlier in the year was that members of that organisation had gone over to the Real IRA and his concern now was that some of them might drift back.
And Tanaiste Mary Harney rejected any suggestion of a deal being done to ensure the Real IRA ceasefire came about and said the new security legislation would be "fully implemented."
"No deal has been done with this group and no deal will be done with it," she said firmly, adding that it would not be acceptable even to contemplate doing a deal with people who could carry out such an atrocity as that in Omagh.
And, she said, the benefits flowing from the Good Friday Agreement would not go to that group.
The Taoiseach said that if they got to a situation where everybody stopped violence, there would be no need to move against people associated with these organisations.
"But we are some way away from that yet," he said, adding that he hoped nobody was trying to play "dangerous games."
Garda and RUC security chiefs last night adopted a cautious stance in response to the Real IRA's declaration of a permanent ceasefire.
Senior anti terrorist officers said they needed further evidence from the terrorists before they could be convinced that the ceasefire was genuine.
The group, who call themselves Oglaigh Na hEireann, significantly did not state that they intended to disband following their cessation of violence.
Their alleged political wing, the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, also remained silent about whether they intended to continue opposing the peace process in Northern Ireland.
One senior security source said last night: "The statement is welcome in as far as it goes but we are understandably wary about their plans for the future. We would like to see where they plan to go from here."
The decision on a permanent ceasefire was taken by six members of the group's so-called army council at a meeting in north Louth on Monday
The Gardai and the RUC are to continue targeting the 25 to 30 key activists who have been placed at the top of a priority list for surveillance and intelligence gathering since the Omagh blast.
And a senior officer warned last night that any of the group linked by evidence to the Omagh bomb or any other crime carried out by the Real IRA since they became operational last January will be arrested and charged before the courts.
"There will be no relaxation in our efforts on both sides of the Border to gather evidence and if we get enough on them to bring a prosecution there will be no hesitation in going to the courts," he added.
Fine Gael leader John Bruton welcomed the Real IRA statement but said it should do nothing to deflect the Irish and British Governments in their pursuit of the "callous murderers" who killed 29 people in Omagh.
Labour leader Ruairi Quinn also said the pursuit of those responsible for "heinous crimes" committed by the Real IRA must continue.
The North's First Minister David Trimble welcomed the step as a move in the right direction but said it would not lake away the horror the Real IRA had inflicted in Omagh.
The Northern Ireland Office said: "We welcome any ceasefire including that of the Real IRA.
"We shall be watching carefully to see if the Real IRA ceasefire is matched by word and deed."
SDLP leader John Hume said: "I think there is absolutely no doubt that the overwhelming reaction of the people North and South and throughout the world to the terrible tragedy in Omagh was a very major influence in bringing about this ceasefire."
Sinn Fein chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said: "We lobbied for this outcome. This decision is as a result of the political pressure that republicans and others exerted."
The smallest loyalist terror gang, the LVF, denied any involvement in the weekend rioting in Portadown.
By GENE McKENNA and TOM BRADY TAOISEACH
Bertie Ahern yesterday stepped up the pressure on the Continuity IRA - the only republican group still to declare a ceasefire - to end its campaign in the wake of the Real IRA cessation announcement.
Mr Ahern said it was important now that the Continuity IRA should clarify its position, saying his information earlier in the year was that members of that organisation had gone over to the Real IRA and his concern now was that some of them might drift back.
And Tanaiste Mary Harney rejected any suggestion of a deal being done to ensure the Real IRA ceasefire came about and said the new security legislation would be "fully implemented."
"No deal has been done with this group and no deal will be done with it," she said firmly, adding that it would not be acceptable even to contemplate doing a deal with people who could carry out such an atrocity as that in Omagh.
And, she said, the benefits flowing from the Good Friday Agreement would not go to that group.
The Taoiseach said that if they got to a situation where everybody stopped violence, there would be no need to move against people associated with these organisations.
"But we are some way away from that yet," he said, adding that he hoped nobody was trying to play "dangerous games."
Garda and RUC security chiefs last night adopted a cautious stance in response to the Real IRA's declaration of a permanent ceasefire.
Senior anti terrorist officers said they needed further evidence from the terrorists before they could be convinced that the ceasefire was genuine.
The group, who call themselves Oglaigh Na hEireann, significantly did not state that they intended to disband following their cessation of violence.
Their alleged political wing, the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, also remained silent about whether they intended to continue opposing the peace process in Northern Ireland.
One senior security source said last night: "The statement is welcome in as far as it goes but we are understandably wary about their plans for the future. We would like to see where they plan to go from here."
The decision on a permanent ceasefire was taken by six members of the group's so-called army council at a meeting in north Louth on Monday
The Gardai and the RUC are to continue targeting the 25 to 30 key activists who have been placed at the top of a priority list for surveillance and intelligence gathering since the Omagh blast.
And a senior officer warned last night that any of the group linked by evidence to the Omagh bomb or any other crime carried out by the Real IRA since they became operational last January will be arrested and charged before the courts.
"There will be no relaxation in our efforts on both sides of the Border to gather evidence and if we get enough on them to bring a prosecution there will be no hesitation in going to the courts," he added.
Fine Gael leader John Bruton welcomed the Real IRA statement but said it should do nothing to deflect the Irish and British Governments in their pursuit of the "callous murderers" who killed 29 people in Omagh.
Labour leader Ruairi Quinn also said the pursuit of those responsible for "heinous crimes" committed by the Real IRA must continue.
The North's First Minister David Trimble welcomed the step as a move in the right direction but said it would not lake away the horror the Real IRA had inflicted in Omagh.
The Northern Ireland Office said: "We welcome any ceasefire including that of the Real IRA.
"We shall be watching carefully to see if the Real IRA ceasefire is matched by word and deed."
SDLP leader John Hume said: "I think there is absolutely no doubt that the overwhelming reaction of the people North and South and throughout the world to the terrible tragedy in Omagh was a very major influence in bringing about this ceasefire."
Sinn Fein chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said: "We lobbied for this outcome. This decision is as a result of the political pressure that republicans and others exerted."
The smallest loyalist terror gang, the LVF, denied any involvement in the weekend rioting in Portadown.
Further Information
Publisher: IRISH INDEPENDENT
Ref: II/147
Published Date: 09-Sep-98
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