INLA Reaffirms 1998 Ceasefire Commitment

national | miscellaneous | news report Friday November 01, 2002 16:56 by Airey Neave - Royal Flying Automobile Club

Irish News 26 October 2002 INLA Reaffirms 1998 Ceasefire Commitment Following Gun Claim By Seamus McKinney The INLA has re-affirmed its commitment to its 1998 ceasefire following a claim that a gun used in a recent attack was also used by the organisation two years ago.

Irish News
26 October 2002

INLA Reaffirms 1998 Ceasefire Commitment Following Gun Claim
By Seamus McKinney

The INLA has re-affirmed its commitment to its 1998 ceasefire
following a claim that a gun used in a recent attack was also used by
the organisation two years ago.

Strabane SDLP assembly member Eugene McMenamin called on the
paramilitary organisation to clarify its position after it was
alleged the weapon used in a shooting last week was used by the INLA
in the past. Mr McMenamin said: "The new Secretary of State needs to
take urgent action against these barbaric acts and order the
disbandment of paramilitary organisations such as the INLA.

"This type of activity should be condemned by all right-thinking
people."

The SDLP assembly member said there were indications that
paramilitaries were stepping up their activity since the suspension
of devolution. "The Secretary of State needs to reinforce that his
agenda is the Good Friday Agreement. The sooner we get the agreement
back on track the better to show the paramilitary organisations that
there is no place for terror in our society and that all the good
decent people of Northern Ireland want to see is peace and prosperity
restored," he said.

Irish Republican Socialist Party spokesman William Gallagher said he
had been informed that the INLA was still on ceasefire.

Mr Gallagher, who is on the Ard Comhairle of the IRSP - which is the
political wing of the INLA - said the ceasefire declared on August 22
1998 was still intact.

But he said he had been told by the INLA that the organisation
reserved the right to defend its members.

He said the paramilitary group also stated it would defend
nationalists against attack from loyalists if need be.