IT/130

SF URGING CEASEFIRES

SF 'urging ceasefires'
From Rachel Donnelly, in London

SINN Fein has been in contact with the 'Real IRA' through intermediaries to persuade the organisation to call a permanent ceasefire, the party chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, said yesterday.
In the wake of the 'Real IRA's' statement that it had "suspended" all military operations as a direct result of the Omagh bombing, which was criticised by people and politicians throughout Ireland and Britain, Mr McLaughlin said Sinn Fein told the group there was a need to "recover the situation" from the "disastrous consequences" of last Saturday.
Mr McLaughlin told BBC Radio 4 that Sinn Fein was also working to persuade the two other republican groups that were not on ceasefire - the INLA and the Continuity IRA - to end their campaigns of violence.
"I am making it clear that we got an announcement from the 'Real IRA' which was insufficient in itself and there is ongoing work which requires a degree of sensitivity and very, very careful and discreet management," Mr McLaughlin added.

Further Information

Publisher: THE IRISH TIMES

Ref: IT/130

Published Date: 20-Aug-98

Related Images

There have been no images archived for this article.