AHERN VOWS TO CRUSH REAL IRA
Ahern vows to crush Real IRA
TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern vowed yesterday rush the republican splinter group being blamed for the Omagh massacre.
Mr Ahern said he had no doubt that the dissidents styling themselves the 32 County Sovereignty Committee of the Real IRA were behind the Omagh bomb.
"I don't have any real doubt in my mind that members of what they term themselves the 32 County Sovereignty, the Real IRA or whatever else they call themselves, I believe that this was that group."
And speaking after a meeting with security chiefs in Dublin, he said: "Whatever resources are necessary to crush this organisation will be given."
And he refused to rule out the use of internment in the future.
Mr Ahern said the Irish cabinet would hold a special meeting on Wednesday to discuss the atrocity.
"It's a case where whatever is necessary has to be done. It could mean anything. Whatever has to be done will be done."
He said that it was probably unnecessary to bring in new legislation to ban the Real IRA as existing legislation was probably sufficient.
Mr Ahern added after his Dublin meeting with security chiefs: "We had an opportunity this morning to asses the terrible events of yesterday and to bring ourselves up to date.
"Our discussions today were primarily to assess the impact of it and what more we need to do.
"We effectively ruled nothing out and over the next day or two will start examining the legislation and look at our intelligence and our surveillance mechanisms that are in place on this republican organisation.
"I think the message from the government is that we are determined to defeat this campaign in short order. Whatever is necessary to do that we will do that.
"I am determined to take the hard and difficult decisions that require to be taken in the days ahead.
"We are not going to allow a small group of people who are obviously vicious and savage people who know no respect for the life of order."
Mr Ahern said 14 members of the dissident group were currently before the Irish courts, and police had been successful in thwarting potential attacks by the group.
"They have been involved in a huge number of activities which shows a quick level of sophistication from them and I think that requires the same quick sophistication from us to take them out of circulation.
"Can I say to all those organisations who are still involved in violence and have not declared ceasefires, they should declare immediate, unconditional cessation of violence."
Mr Ahern said he would be looking at existing legislation and would ask for a recall of the Dail if necessary.
"We have all put in too much over many years to try and bring peace and democracy to this island and I'm not going to allow a position where a handful of people, maybe up to a hundred but probably far less, are going to thwart all the best efforts of the United States, the British government, politicians in the north and the Irish government and more importantly practically every man, woman and child on this island.
"Whatever has to be done will be done." And in a comment seemingly aimed at Bernadette Sands McKevitt, a sister of dead IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands and a leading member of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, Mr Ahern said: "I'm sure all republicans and all genuine, decent republicans who may have been involved in these things in the past will condemn this. "I'm sure people like Bobby Sands would not stand over the horrific events of what happened in Omagh."
Irish Deputy Foreign Minister Liz O'Donnell echoed Mr Ahern's sentiments, saying her government would be making "very, very difficult decisions" on security measures over the next 48 hours.
Asked is that could include the re-introduction of internment without trial, she said: "We are not excluding anything at this point."
"We are looking at every possible measure which is available to us as a democratic state to fight this threat.
She told BBC Radio 4's the World This Weekend programme: "We are checking and examining our current legislation to see whether it is fit for the purpose in the new context of this threat to the state."
TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern vowed yesterday rush the republican splinter group being blamed for the Omagh massacre.
Mr Ahern said he had no doubt that the dissidents styling themselves the 32 County Sovereignty Committee of the Real IRA were behind the Omagh bomb.
"I don't have any real doubt in my mind that members of what they term themselves the 32 County Sovereignty, the Real IRA or whatever else they call themselves, I believe that this was that group."
And speaking after a meeting with security chiefs in Dublin, he said: "Whatever resources are necessary to crush this organisation will be given."
And he refused to rule out the use of internment in the future.
Mr Ahern said the Irish cabinet would hold a special meeting on Wednesday to discuss the atrocity.
"It's a case where whatever is necessary has to be done. It could mean anything. Whatever has to be done will be done."
He said that it was probably unnecessary to bring in new legislation to ban the Real IRA as existing legislation was probably sufficient.
Mr Ahern added after his Dublin meeting with security chiefs: "We had an opportunity this morning to asses the terrible events of yesterday and to bring ourselves up to date.
"Our discussions today were primarily to assess the impact of it and what more we need to do.
"We effectively ruled nothing out and over the next day or two will start examining the legislation and look at our intelligence and our surveillance mechanisms that are in place on this republican organisation.
"I think the message from the government is that we are determined to defeat this campaign in short order. Whatever is necessary to do that we will do that.
"I am determined to take the hard and difficult decisions that require to be taken in the days ahead.
"We are not going to allow a small group of people who are obviously vicious and savage people who know no respect for the life of order."
Mr Ahern said 14 members of the dissident group were currently before the Irish courts, and police had been successful in thwarting potential attacks by the group.
"They have been involved in a huge number of activities which shows a quick level of sophistication from them and I think that requires the same quick sophistication from us to take them out of circulation.
"Can I say to all those organisations who are still involved in violence and have not declared ceasefires, they should declare immediate, unconditional cessation of violence."
Mr Ahern said he would be looking at existing legislation and would ask for a recall of the Dail if necessary.
"We have all put in too much over many years to try and bring peace and democracy to this island and I'm not going to allow a position where a handful of people, maybe up to a hundred but probably far less, are going to thwart all the best efforts of the United States, the British government, politicians in the north and the Irish government and more importantly practically every man, woman and child on this island.
"Whatever has to be done will be done." And in a comment seemingly aimed at Bernadette Sands McKevitt, a sister of dead IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands and a leading member of the 32 County Sovereignty Committee, Mr Ahern said: "I'm sure all republicans and all genuine, decent republicans who may have been involved in these things in the past will condemn this. "I'm sure people like Bobby Sands would not stand over the horrific events of what happened in Omagh."
Irish Deputy Foreign Minister Liz O'Donnell echoed Mr Ahern's sentiments, saying her government would be making "very, very difficult decisions" on security measures over the next 48 hours.
Asked is that could include the re-introduction of internment without trial, she said: "We are not excluding anything at this point."
"We are looking at every possible measure which is available to us as a democratic state to fight this threat.
She told BBC Radio 4's the World This Weekend programme: "We are checking and examining our current legislation to see whether it is fit for the purpose in the new context of this threat to the state."
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0037
Published Date: 17-Aug-98
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