'Adams to announce arms dump move' - claim

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams is preparing to announce that an IRA arms dump has been permanently sealed, new Ulster Unionist MP David Burnside claimed today.

Just before talks with Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair at Downing Street, he said the Sinn Fein president would make the weapons declaration as part of fresh republican moves to try and force the Government into making more concessions on policing and demilitarisation.

But the MP for south Antrim insisted: ‘‘It is a con job which won’t wash.’’

He also claimed the Provisionals were involved in substantial arms importation.

Mr Burnside is to accompany his party leader David Trimble at this afternoon’s meeting where the Tony Blair will be urged to adopt a tougher approach on demands for IRA disarmament.

Mr Trimble has already warned London and Dublin that he will resign as First Minister at the Stormont Assembly unless the Provisionals begin emptying their secret arms dumps by July 1.

Mr Burnside said: ‘‘The Unionist community is not prepared to accept any more concessions. Gerry Adams is going to tell Mr Blair that one IRA arms dump has been permanently sealed to try and get a fudge on July 1.

‘‘But it is a con job which won’t wash. The Ulster Unionist parliamentary party is in no mood to compromise.’’