'People will be ultimate judge if IRA pledges peace'

The people of Northern Ireland will be the ultimate judge of whether any IRA statement on an end to violence and paramilitary activity is for real, US politicians were told today.

As United States politicians urged the IRA to issue a positive response to Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams’ call for the Provisionals to abandon armed struggle and pursue their goals through peaceful and democratic means, Democratic Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson said it was not what the terror group said which mattered but what it did.

“The recent report by the Independent Monitoring Commission underscores for all to see the true extent of the Provisional IRA’s involvement in criminal and terrorist activity,” the Lagan Valley MP said.

“Sinn Féin are inextricably linked to an armed and active paramilitary organisation that is involved in all forms of illegal activity including murder, robbery, recruiting, training, intelligence gathering, weapons procurement, shootings, assaults, fuel and tobacco smuggling and money laundering.

“This falls far short of the acceptable standards of behaviour for a democratic political party, never mind the acceptable standards for entry into government. There is little talk about the murder of Robert McCartney or the Northern Bank robbery.”

Speculation has been mounting in Belfast, London and Dublin that the IRA will respond soon, possibly this month, to Mr Adams’ call.

However Mr Donaldson said the Republican Movement’s failure to sever its ties to widespread criminal and terrorist activity meant it could not play any part in the political mainstream.

“The rest of us cannot simply sit back and wait for republicans and their statement forever,” he said.

“The clear majority of people in Northern Ireland are demanding that democrats move on and leave those wedded to terror behind.

“The Democratic Unionist Party is more than willing to work with other constitutional political parties. We firmly believe that is the way forward for restoring devolution to Northern Ireland.

“Democratic parties should be allowed to work together for the good of all of the people of Northern Ireland.

“Regardless of the emphasis some in the United States may place on an IRA statement, it is the people of Northern Ireland who have to be convinced that terror and criminality is a thing of the past.”