Adams’ visit makes parties suspicious

SINN FEIN leader Gerry Adam’s visit to the killers of Garda Jerry McCabe in Castlerea Prison may trigger a fresh attempt by the party to seek early release for the men, Fine Gael and the Progressive Democrats claimed yesterday.

Both parties suspect Sinn Féin is trying to put the early release of the four IRA members back on the agenda, after a reference by Mr Adams to “unfinished business” for prisoners after he visited the men yesterday.

Mr Adams and the party’s Kerry North TD Martin Ferris met the four men convicted of Garda McCabe’s manslaughter to brief them on the IRA’s final act of decommissioning, expected this weekend.

In total eight republican prisoners in Castlerea jail on what Mr Adams described as “developments in the peace process.”

It came as the Government confirmed that, on Friday, it will hold its first formal meeting with Sinn Fein since January - a clear indication it now believes the IRA are about to fulfil its obligations on the total destruction of arms and the ending of all activities.

Mr Adams is also expected to make a major speech on decommissioning this weekend, a precursor to a confirmation by Gen John de Chastelain that arms have been scrapped.

Fine Gael and the PDs both focused in their criticisms on a short statement Mr Adams issued after his visit to the prison.

It stated: “With the ending of the IRA’s armed campaign new opportunities to advance the peace process have opened up. But there are also a number of outstanding issues to be dealt with including the ongoing detention of a small number of IRA prisoners. Sinn Féin is committed to securing their release.”

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny warned the comments must not mark the first step to re-open the issue of the release of the killers of Jerry McCabe.

“The release of the killers of Jerry McCabe is off the table,” he insisted.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell yesterday said the four will serve every day of their sentence. A Government spokesperson said its position - that the men serve out their sentences - remained unchanged.

PD Senator John Minihan dismissed the build-up to decommissioning as a manipulative exercise.

“This is all part of their ratcheting-up policy. First they brought the Colombia Three back to Ireland. They are now trying to re-introduce the early release of the McCabe killers despite their own promise that it was off the agenda,” he said.

In a statement issued shortly after the Northern Bank raid last December, the four prisoners said they would no longer seek early release as part of an overall final agreement.