Trimble attacked over decommissioning threats

Sinn Fein has accused the North’s First Minister, David Trimble, of interfering with the work of the decommissioning body by threatening to reimpose sanctions against the republican movement if the IRA does not destroy more arms.

Mr Trimble made his threat during a debate on the British Government’s Decommissioning (Amendment) Bill in the House of Commons last night. The bill proposes to extend the deadline for paramilitary decommissioning by one year to February 2003, with a provision for a further four-year extension. This has angered Mr Trimble, who said he would take matters into his own hands unless Britain puts pressure on the IRA.