One State, one army

SO, Gerry Adams claims that no republican activist can be a criminal (Irish Examiner, December 14).

We have a constitution that is revised from time to time by amendments. There has been no amendment to Article 15. 6. 2 which states that only the elected Government may have an armed force and may hold arms.

Thus, by their very existence within the State, the IRA are both criminals and traitors. (I have letters from Bertie Ahern, John Bruton, Ruairi Quinn, Michael McDowell and Proinnsias de Rossa confirming this viewpoint.)