Adams to rally Sinn Féin troops ahead of final act of decommissioning
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams will address the MLAs, MPs, TDs, MEPs and councillors at Mullaghbawn.
It is part of a series of events designed to pave the way for the final destruction of arms - seen by Sinn Féin and IRA supporters as an acknowledgment its violent campaign has ended.
Earlier this week, Mr Adams visited the killers of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in Castlerea Prison.
Tomorrow he will lead a Sinn Féin delegation in the first formal meeting with the Government since January.
When the IRA declared its war over in July, decommissioning was expected to follow quickly.
Seasoned observers have said republicans felt the statement did not have the expected impact.
The high-profile lead-up to decommissioning - expected to happen at the weekend or early next week - is sure to give the party exposure for its agenda.
Yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern said he expected decommissioning to happen “very soon” but would not be drawn on specifics.
DUP leader Ian Paisley yesterday claimed the IRA was calling the shots on the decommissioning process, which will only include a unionist observer with their approval.
Rev Paisley said republicans still had someway to go to convince Protestants they were genuine in their commitment to peace.
“The IRA is making the rules, controlling the programme, refusing the photography, appointing their own referees and engineering the whole affair.”
Separately, Mr Ahern and Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain held talks at Stormont Castle last night to discuss developments.
Mr Adams will address supporters at a rally in Dublin on Saturday, heightening the belief that the Provisionals are close to delivering on their pledge to dump all arms.
