WIDESPREAD WELCOME AS US OUTLAWS THE REAL IRA
Widespread welcome as US outlaws the Real IRA
ULSTER Unionist Westminster candidate for West Tyrone and outgoing MP,Mr. William Thompson, has welcomed the outlawing of the
Real IRA by the US government.
TH Real IRA carried out the bomb attack in Omagh in August 1998 which killed 29 people and two unborn babies. Relatives of those who died have also welcomed the US decision.
The long-awaited decision came following representations from the British and Irish governments and the families of the Omagh victims and in the wake of a continuing bombing campaign in both mainland Britain and Northern Ireland.
The security forces blamed them for the recent attack on the BBC headquarters in London and an earlier bombing at the MI5 HQ.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell designated the dissident republicans as 'a foreign terrorist organisation'.
The State Department said it was also designating the 32-County Sovereignty Movement and the Irish Republican Prisoners' Welfare Association.
It said in a statement: "This action makes it illegal for persons in the United States or subject to US jurisdiction to provide material support to the Real IRA or any of its named aliases, requires US financial institutions to block assets of the designated groups and enables us to deny visas to representatives of the group."
The State Department said the group had made it clear that the its terrorist attacks were motivated by its desire to undermine the Good Friday Agreement, which was approved by the major political parties in Northern Ireland."
The UUP's Mr. Thompson, in welcoming the decision, said: "At long last we have movement from the US State Department on this illegal terrorist organisation's position, and it comes not a moment too soon. My colleagues and I in the Ulster Unionist Party have been working tirelessly at Westminster - since the Real IRA caused international outrage with the tragedy that was the Omagh bomb to have their organisation proscribed in America along with its political wing, the 32-County Sovereignty Committee." And there was widespread support, too, from families of the Omagh victims.
Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son, Adrian, was among those who died, said: "I am absolutely delighted. It has been a year-and-a-half struggle for the victims' families to get this announcement."
Victor Barker, whose young son, James, was among those killed in Omagh, said: "They are being banned because they are a terrorist organisation. Remember, they kill little children."
First Minister, Mr. David Trimble, said: "This development is important at a symbolic level.
It sends a strong and clear signal that time has run out for Irish republican terrorist organisations."
But Mr. Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Fein, said: "It's a symbolic measure. It may have the effect of giving these people an exaggerated sense of their own importance."
ULSTER Unionist Westminster candidate for West Tyrone and outgoing MP,Mr. William Thompson, has welcomed the outlawing of the
Real IRA by the US government.
TH Real IRA carried out the bomb attack in Omagh in August 1998 which killed 29 people and two unborn babies. Relatives of those who died have also welcomed the US decision.
The long-awaited decision came following representations from the British and Irish governments and the families of the Omagh victims and in the wake of a continuing bombing campaign in both mainland Britain and Northern Ireland.
The security forces blamed them for the recent attack on the BBC headquarters in London and an earlier bombing at the MI5 HQ.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell designated the dissident republicans as 'a foreign terrorist organisation'.
The State Department said it was also designating the 32-County Sovereignty Movement and the Irish Republican Prisoners' Welfare Association.
It said in a statement: "This action makes it illegal for persons in the United States or subject to US jurisdiction to provide material support to the Real IRA or any of its named aliases, requires US financial institutions to block assets of the designated groups and enables us to deny visas to representatives of the group."
The State Department said the group had made it clear that the its terrorist attacks were motivated by its desire to undermine the Good Friday Agreement, which was approved by the major political parties in Northern Ireland."
The UUP's Mr. Thompson, in welcoming the decision, said: "At long last we have movement from the US State Department on this illegal terrorist organisation's position, and it comes not a moment too soon. My colleagues and I in the Ulster Unionist Party have been working tirelessly at Westminster - since the Real IRA caused international outrage with the tragedy that was the Omagh bomb to have their organisation proscribed in America along with its political wing, the 32-County Sovereignty Committee." And there was widespread support, too, from families of the Omagh victims.
Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son, Adrian, was among those who died, said: "I am absolutely delighted. It has been a year-and-a-half struggle for the victims' families to get this announcement."
Victor Barker, whose young son, James, was among those killed in Omagh, said: "They are being banned because they are a terrorist organisation. Remember, they kill little children."
First Minister, Mr. David Trimble, said: "This development is important at a symbolic level.
It sends a strong and clear signal that time has run out for Irish republican terrorist organisations."
But Mr. Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Fein, said: "It's a symbolic measure. It may have the effect of giving these people an exaggerated sense of their own importance."
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/0886
Published Date: 31-May-01
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