FASTENING SECURITY ON THESE ISLANDS
Fastening security on these islands
TONY Blair and Bertie Ahern are in no mood to be deflected from the task they have now embarked upon in toughening up security measures to take full account of the terrorist dangers posed by the horrific Omagh bombing.
The unsurprising Sinn Fein rejection of the security initiatives and the considerable disquiet among civil liberties groups have so far failed to unnerve the two Premiers and the proposed legislation in both jurisdictions can expect to have a smooth passage through the respective parliaments.
The spectre of the British and Eire governments acting broadly in unison in the fight to remove the threat of terrorist violence from these islands is certainly a very encouraging development. The message being conveyed by Mr Blair and Mr Ahern - that there will be no hiding place for murderous groups like the Real IRA - has got to be implemented on the ground by the security forces in both states.
The greater priority now given to security by the two governments has forced the Real IRA into a hasty retreat from their traditional boltholes in the Republic and the heat is such that there are signs this week that the dissidents may decide to suspend operations on a more permanent basis.
Right now, the focus of security forces on both sides of the border is quite properly directed on the violent activities of the breakaway republican groups, but the anti-terror legislation must be broad enough to encompass the criminal excesses of the republican and loyalist paramilitary organisations whose political allies signed up to the Good Friday Agreement.
Those genuinely committed to democracy and the proper enforcement of the due process of the law in this Province would baulk at the concept of a "good terrorist/bad terrorist" syndrome, whereby the authorities turned a blind eye to the brutal shootings and beatings which take place here on an almost daily basis.
There have been several such incidents this week and yesterday the RUC confirmed that so far this year the gruesome track record of shootings and beatings by the loyalist paramilitaries allegedly on ceasefire marginally shades the equally reprehensible barbarity of the Provisional IRA.
Unionists are not alone in being alarmed about the anomaly which may arise if the anti-terror legislation going through Westminster next week is confined only to specific groups and the Government must be prepared to accept amendments from Opposition MPs which will effectively deal with all outbreaks of terrorism.
Everyone must be treated as equal under the law and political considerations should not be a barrier to police having access to all measures contained on the statute book for dealing with terrorist crime.
Sinn Fein has disgracefully used the Government security announcement to malign the good name of the RUC, and the wider unionist community, seeking signs of confidence-building measures by the republican movement, were not encouraged by the response of spokesman Martin McGuinness.
TONY Blair and Bertie Ahern are in no mood to be deflected from the task they have now embarked upon in toughening up security measures to take full account of the terrorist dangers posed by the horrific Omagh bombing.
The unsurprising Sinn Fein rejection of the security initiatives and the considerable disquiet among civil liberties groups have so far failed to unnerve the two Premiers and the proposed legislation in both jurisdictions can expect to have a smooth passage through the respective parliaments.
The spectre of the British and Eire governments acting broadly in unison in the fight to remove the threat of terrorist violence from these islands is certainly a very encouraging development. The message being conveyed by Mr Blair and Mr Ahern - that there will be no hiding place for murderous groups like the Real IRA - has got to be implemented on the ground by the security forces in both states.
The greater priority now given to security by the two governments has forced the Real IRA into a hasty retreat from their traditional boltholes in the Republic and the heat is such that there are signs this week that the dissidents may decide to suspend operations on a more permanent basis.
Right now, the focus of security forces on both sides of the border is quite properly directed on the violent activities of the breakaway republican groups, but the anti-terror legislation must be broad enough to encompass the criminal excesses of the republican and loyalist paramilitary organisations whose political allies signed up to the Good Friday Agreement.
Those genuinely committed to democracy and the proper enforcement of the due process of the law in this Province would baulk at the concept of a "good terrorist/bad terrorist" syndrome, whereby the authorities turned a blind eye to the brutal shootings and beatings which take place here on an almost daily basis.
There have been several such incidents this week and yesterday the RUC confirmed that so far this year the gruesome track record of shootings and beatings by the loyalist paramilitaries allegedly on ceasefire marginally shades the equally reprehensible barbarity of the Provisional IRA.
Unionists are not alone in being alarmed about the anomaly which may arise if the anti-terror legislation going through Westminster next week is confined only to specific groups and the Government must be prepared to accept amendments from Opposition MPs which will effectively deal with all outbreaks of terrorism.
Everyone must be treated as equal under the law and political considerations should not be a barrier to police having access to all measures contained on the statute book for dealing with terrorist crime.
Sinn Fein has disgracefully used the Government security announcement to malign the good name of the RUC, and the wider unionist community, seeking signs of confidence-building measures by the republican movement, were not encouraged by the response of spokesman Martin McGuinness.
Further Information
Publisher: NEWS LETTER
Ref: NL/111
Published Date: 27-Aug-98
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