Sinn Fein challenged over Basque terror links

Sinn Fein was today under pressure from unionists to state whether it had kept its links to the outlawed political wing of the Basque terrorist organisation Eta.

During First and Deputy First Minister’s questions in the Northern Ireland Assembly, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble challenged republicans to state if they had maintained their links.

But he also warned them if they remained tied with the Batasuna party, which was outlawed in Spain last month, it would be in breach of the Good Friday Agreement.

The First Minister told UUP Assembly colleague Esmond Birnie: “All the parties who endorsed the Agreement affirmed their absolute commitment to peaceful means and opposition to the use or threat of violence whether in regard to this Agreement or otherwise.

“That otherwise is not in any way qualified, so if a party here or an organisation has been involved in assisting terrorist organisations elsewhere as indeed the republican movement has, then that party is clearly acting in breach of the undertakings it gave in the Agreement.

“One would want to know whether all such actions in support of terrorism outside of Northern Ireland have ceased.

“One would want to know if the party in question has maintained its connections with Eta and with the now illegal Batasuna party because it would be quite contrary to the Agreement for that party to maintain its connections.”

Republicans in Northern Ireland have for many years maintained links with their Basque counterparts.

However in the wake of the arrests of three IRA suspects in Colombia last year on suspicion of training left wing Marxist rebels, they have been under pressure to sever all ties with other armed groups and their political wings around the world.

Mr Trimble faces a crucial meeting of his party’s ruling council on September 21 over power-sharing following allegations about IRA activity in Northern Ireland and abroad.

Unionists are concerned about links between the terror group and FARC rebels in Colombia.

They also believe the IRA has orchestrated street violence in Belfast this summer and was behind the Castlereagh police station break-in.