Work starts on demolishing British posts in Armagh

Northern Secretary John Reid has revealed that the British Government will demolish four army installations in the North in response to the IRA’s move on decommissioning yesterday.

Dr Reid said work has already begun on the demolition of the Sturgan Mountain and Camlough Mountain observation towers in south Armagh.

Work will begin tomorrow on the demolition of the super-sangar beside Newtownhamilton RUC station and the Magherafelt army base.

The British Army currently has more than 130 military installations in the North.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Dr Reid said the IRA's move was "unprecedented and genuinely historic - it takes the peace process onto a new political level".

However, he stressed there remained a "significant threat" from loyalist paramilitaries and dissident republicans.

The move follows confirmation by the International Commission on Decommissioning last night that the IRA had begun decommissioning weapons.