Assembly motion to call for review of IRA ceasefire

The British government is to be urged in the North's Assembly to make a judgment on the status of the IRA’s ceasefire.

Ulster Unionist Assembly members led by Northern Ireland First Minister David Trimble have tabled an Assembly motion calling on Northern Secretary John Reid to judge whether the IRA ceasefire is holding.

The motion says: ‘‘Recalling the acceptance by all parties of the Mitchell Principles of democracy and non-violence and a requirement in the Belfast Agreement for a commitment to exclusively peaceful means and being deeply concerned by recent violence, including murders and paramilitary actions in Northern Ireland, England and the Republic of Ireland and elsewhere, this Assembly calls on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland following his recent determination on the status of the (loyalist) UDA/UFF ceasefire, to make a determination on the status of the IRA ceasefire and to make a statement indicating the consequential measures he considers appropriate.’’

The move comes just 24 hours after the IRA denied that it was behind the break-in at a Special Branch office in Northern Ireland’s top security Castlereagh police station.

The group also denied reports that it was targeting British politicians including senior members of the Conservative party.

Mr Trimble and minister Sir Reg Empey are today meeting senior police officers amid growing concern among unionists about the state of the IRA ceasefire.