FLANAGAN MOVES ON REMOVAL OF TROOPS
Flanagan moves on removal of troops
By Niall Blaney
BRITISH army patrols are to end in the greater Belfast area this weekend after 29 years, Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan announced yesterday.
And he said efforts to attract more Catholic recruits to the RUC were not progressing quickly enough.
Launching the force's annual report, the chief constable warned there would be no tradeoff between demilitarisation and decommissioning, adding that the levels of military patrols were under constant review.
"After this weekend we will be reverting to a position where there will be no military patrolling in the greater Belfast area. That's a very welcome development and it's made possible by the fact that we are currently in a position of a very significantly reduced terrorist threat," he said.
He added this would lead to a review of all levels of RUC and army activity.
"It is all completely dependent on the threat. There can be no tradeoff. I have a duty of care to protect people against the threat, and in exercising that duty of care that will bring about necessary levels of police deployment, and in some areas, necessary levels of military accompaniment."
The chief constable said he wanted to get to a position where there was no military patrolling.
"You have to bear in mind that there is no military patrolling in the city of Derry and there is very significantly reduced patrolling
right across the province."
He refused to be drawn on progress over decommissioning, but said his task was to determine where guns and explosives were illegally held.
"Decommissioning is an entirely different issue, firmly in the political arena, and that's where it must stay," he said.
Mr Flanagan said the statement by Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams - that violence had to be a thing of the past - was "significant".
But he said while the threat of violence had been reduced it still existed.
"We are only some weeks after the worst terrorist atrocity which has been inflicted on the people of Northern Ireland.
"It indicates the capability that these groups have to carry out such atrocities."
He said he would not be satisfied until the Omagh bombers were brought to justice, adding: "We are pursuing a number of very definite lines of inquiry. We have had the most tremendous assistance from colleagues in the London Metropolitan Police and particular assistance, on an ongoing basis, from my colleagues in the Garda Siochana.
"I am convinced that the lines of inquiry we are pursuing will lead us to the people who carried out that atrocity and will enable us to bring those people, in time, before a court."
Last night Sinn Fein chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said the move to withdraw patrols was "insufficient".
He added: "The British army should be immediately withdrawn from the north. Moreover Mr Flanagan should note that his force, the RUC, is equally unacceptable to nationalists and it too should be withdrawn from nationalist and republican areas."
But SDLP assembly member for west Belfast Alex Attwood welcomed the withdrawal of patrols.
"It should now be confirmed what further measures are to be taken and over what period to further reduce military activity and bases in Belfast." Meanwhile, the chief constable said more had to be done to make the RUC more representative of the whole community, but added that responsibility did not lie with the force alone.
By Niall Blaney
BRITISH army patrols are to end in the greater Belfast area this weekend after 29 years, Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan announced yesterday.
And he said efforts to attract more Catholic recruits to the RUC were not progressing quickly enough.
Launching the force's annual report, the chief constable warned there would be no tradeoff between demilitarisation and decommissioning, adding that the levels of military patrols were under constant review.
"After this weekend we will be reverting to a position where there will be no military patrolling in the greater Belfast area. That's a very welcome development and it's made possible by the fact that we are currently in a position of a very significantly reduced terrorist threat," he said.
He added this would lead to a review of all levels of RUC and army activity.
"It is all completely dependent on the threat. There can be no tradeoff. I have a duty of care to protect people against the threat, and in exercising that duty of care that will bring about necessary levels of police deployment, and in some areas, necessary levels of military accompaniment."
The chief constable said he wanted to get to a position where there was no military patrolling.
"You have to bear in mind that there is no military patrolling in the city of Derry and there is very significantly reduced patrolling
right across the province."
He refused to be drawn on progress over decommissioning, but said his task was to determine where guns and explosives were illegally held.
"Decommissioning is an entirely different issue, firmly in the political arena, and that's where it must stay," he said.
Mr Flanagan said the statement by Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams - that violence had to be a thing of the past - was "significant".
But he said while the threat of violence had been reduced it still existed.
"We are only some weeks after the worst terrorist atrocity which has been inflicted on the people of Northern Ireland.
"It indicates the capability that these groups have to carry out such atrocities."
He said he would not be satisfied until the Omagh bombers were brought to justice, adding: "We are pursuing a number of very definite lines of inquiry. We have had the most tremendous assistance from colleagues in the London Metropolitan Police and particular assistance, on an ongoing basis, from my colleagues in the Garda Siochana.
"I am convinced that the lines of inquiry we are pursuing will lead us to the people who carried out that atrocity and will enable us to bring those people, in time, before a court."
Last night Sinn Fein chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said the move to withdraw patrols was "insufficient".
He added: "The British army should be immediately withdrawn from the north. Moreover Mr Flanagan should note that his force, the RUC, is equally unacceptable to nationalists and it too should be withdrawn from nationalist and republican areas."
But SDLP assembly member for west Belfast Alex Attwood welcomed the withdrawal of patrols.
"It should now be confirmed what further measures are to be taken and over what period to further reduce military activity and bases in Belfast." Meanwhile, the chief constable said more had to be done to make the RUC more representative of the whole community, but added that responsibility did not lie with the force alone.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0382
Published Date: 11-Sep-98
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