Adams launches strong attack on Trimble

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams launched a strong attack on Northern Ireland’s First Minister and Ulster Unionist Chief David Trimble in Dublin today.

Speaking after a meeting in Dublin of his party’s policy-directing national executive had reviewed the current crisis confronting the Northern Ireland peace process, Mr Adams insisted there would be “no option” other than intervention by both the Irish and British governments following a unionist walkout from the Belfast Assembly.

He also said that the widely anticipated suspension of the Assembly by the British government in the wake of the row that has followed a police raid on Sinn Féin offices would be serving the agenda of the anti-peace agreement campaign.

The Sinn Féin head commented: “Mr Trimble knows that there is no basis for his demands for the expulsion of Sinn Féin from the Executive.

“Despite his protestations to the contrary Mr Trimble favours suspension.

“Mr Trimble’s attack on the proposition that the two governments must step in to ensure that those important aspects of the agreement that can be implemented are implemented is ludicrous. He knows that the unionist exodus from the institutions leaves no other option.”

Mr Adams also rejected suggestions that Mr Trimble might remain as First Minister “in some shadow position”. He declared: “If Mr Trimble wants to remain in any capacity he should not walk away from the institutions. If he does walk away then he can expect no special dispensation for himself.”

Mr Adams said he had been involved in further discussions today with officials from both the British and Irish governments, adding: “What we are concerned about is that the peace process is in crisis and it has to be managed.”

The Sinn Féin leader’s comments today followed talks in Dublin yesterday between Mr Trimble and Bertie Ahern.

The Government is believed to have made it clear during those discussions that they, too were opposed to plans for a shadow ministry in the wake of any Assembly suspension.

Following today’s executive meeting another Sinn Féin spokesman said the Ulster unionists had seized upon recent events but they needed to know there was “no escape from the Good Friday Agreement for anyone – whether in government or any political party”.

Mr Adams dismissed as “without any foundation or substantiation whatsoever” reports today linking the discovery of fake garda uniforms and other equipment near Dublin to the provisional republican movement.

Six men, three of them said to have firm IRA connections, were still being questioned by police today after the swoop on an address in Bray, Co Wicklow.

Detectives reckon they have headed off a major crime while the scale of direct IRA involvement has still to be established.

The development is being seen as another potential embarrassment for the IRA’s Sinn Fein allies following recent development in Belfast and elsewhere.

Mr Adams said: “It actually becomes a little bit tiresome. We have already had a scenario in the north where there was a high profile raid on the Sinn Féin offices and the seizure of tapes which were in a day or two quietly returned.

“But the damage was done and with these stories the unsourced briefing that these people may have been republicans is just a bad way to proceed.”