Reid expresses disappointment

Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid today hit out at the IRA after they withdrew a plan to put their weapons beyond use.

"The decision was a big disappointment," he said.

Dr Reid added: ‘‘Withdrawing from an agreement which took two years to arrive at, only five days after republicans declared it as historic, can only play into the hands of those sceptics who have always doubted their intentions.’’

His comments came amid allegations that three men arrested in Colombia were IRA members training rebels in explosives and terrorist tactics.

The Northern Ireland Secretary said of the IRA arms announcement: ‘‘It will I believe, together with today’s news reports from Colombia, disappoint many people, not only here at home but in the international community.’’

Dr Reid said he understood the difficulties facing republicans.

But he added: ‘‘This announcement does not fundamentally change the process. We will continue to work towards the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. It does not change the Good Friday Agreement itself.

‘‘Decommissioning remains an indispensable part of that Agreement and I will not be deflected, and not deterred from proceeding with those parts of the Agreement like creating a new police service in Northern Ireland and the renewal of the criminal justice system which are of benefit to all the people of Northern Ireland.’’

Dr Reid said the news reports coming from Colombia would be further ‘‘food for thought’’ for those sceptics who believe that republicans were not serious about the peace process.

‘‘I think we had made an historic, or at least a significant move on decommissioning last week and I think it has taken so long to get there with such effort and proclaimed to have been of such a significant nature by republicans themselves, that to have broken that agreement and walked away from it within a week will not be easily understood home or abroad.’’