Reid issues warning over ceasefires

Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid said today he will not hesitate to act against Sinn Fein if there was evidence of continued paramilitary activity by the IRA.

In a statement to MPs indicating a more ‘‘rigorous’’ Government approach to breaches of republican and loyalist ceasefires, Dr Reid said while there were only six deaths in the province this year as opposed to 470 in 1972, it was still too many.