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Britain

What's Old is New, or is it the Other Way

2005-02-04

I.R.A. Delivers New Warning on Ulster Talks
Despite a fresh warning on Thursday from the Irish Republican Army not to "underestimate the seriousness" of its actions, the group's decision to withdraw from peace negotiations in Northern Ireland is not expected to lead to a resumption in violence, government and law-enforcement officials said.

"At least, we hope it won't..."

"We are clear that the I.R.A. has the capacity, it has the capability," said Hugh Orde, Northern Ireland's chief constable. "But I don't think they have the intent to go back to war or armed struggle. We continue to monitor that daily." Few questioned Mr. Orde's assessment, and there was nothing in the I.R.A.'s statement, printed Wednesday night, that would indicate that it planned a return to violence. There was little doubt, however, that the I.R.A.'s announcement that it would withdraw its offer to decommission its weapons, a critical linchpin in the Northern Ireland power-sharing agreement, threw the peace negotiations into even deeper turmoil. If anything, the I.R.A.'s withdrawal from the negotiating table served to underscore how positions had shifted and hardened on all sides since the I.R.A. was accused by the police of a $50 million bank robbery in Northern Ireland in December.

The I.R.A. has denied any involvement in the robbery, a position that has been repeated often and loudly by Sinn Fein, the I.R.A.'s political wing and the largest Roman Catholic party in Northern Ireland. In a statement delivered to Irish national radio late Thursday, the I.R.A. said the British and Irish governments were "trying to play down the importance of our statement because they are making a mess of the peace process." "Do not underestimate the seriousness of the situation," he added.

Without offering any public evidence or making any arrests, Mr. Orde has said the I.R.A. was responsible for the bank robbery, an accusation supported by Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain and the Irish prime minister, Bertie Ahern. Mr. Ahern, seeking to defuse the crisis, said he did not read the I.R.A. statement in a "negative fashion." "They are saying what is a fact - that negotiations have broken down," he said. "Everything is off the table and that's the normal course of negotiation."

Posted by:Weird Al

#1 There are severe penalties for IRA withdrawals before 59-1/2.

Oh, wait...

Posted by: jackal 2005-02-04 5:22:46 PM

00:00