Orde does not believe IRA is planning return to violence
PSNI chief constable Hugh Orde has said he does not believe the Provisional IRA is planning to return to violence.
However, speaking ahead of a policing board meeting this morning, he said the organisation had the capacity to do so if it wished.
Last night, the IRA withdrew its offer to decommission all its weapons in protest at growing Irish-British antagonism towards the republican movement.
The move was obviously sparked by Mr Orde's decision, backed by the Irish and British Governments, to blame the IRA for December's bank raid in Belfast, despite the organisation's denial of involvement.
A spokesman for British Prime Minister Tony Blair said today that his government was not seeking confrontation with Sinn Féin, but was merely stating fact when it insisted the IRA was involved in the £26.5m (€38m) robbery.
The spokesman also said the British government did not believe the IRA had any plans to return to violence.
| Related Stories: |
|
