News out of Northern Ireland
Awesome news from
ABC News/AP:
IRA Fully Disarms, Aide to Inspector Says
Outlawed Irish Republican Army Fully Disarms, According to Aide to Monitor
International weapons inspectors have supervised the full disarmament of the outlawed Irish Republican Army, a long-sought goal of Northern Ireland's peace process, an aide to the process' monitor said Sunday.
The IRA permitted two independent witnesses, including a Methodist minister and a Roman Catholic priest close to Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, to view the secret disarmament work conducted by officials from Canada, Finland and the United States, the aide to retired Canadian Gen. John de Chastelain said on condition of anonymity.
The office of de Chastelain, who in recent weeks has been in secret locations overseeing the weapons destruction, scheduled a Monday news conference in Belfast.
The aide told The Associated Press that the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning news conference would detail the scrapping of many tons of IRA weaponry this month at a confidential location in the Republic of Ireland. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
Both witnesses the Rev. Harold Good, a former president of the Methodist Church in Ireland, and the Rev. Alex Reid, a Catholic priest also will state what they saw.
Statements from the British and Irish governments, Adams and the IRA's command were expected within the next 24 hours.
"I am confident that tomorrow will bring the final chapter on the issue of IRA arms," said Martin McGuinness, the deputy leader of the IRA-linked Sinn Fein who plans to travel Tuesday to Washington to seek U.S. political support for the IRA's actions. "I believe that Ireland stands on the cusp of a truly historic advance, and I hope that people across the island will respond positively in the time ahead."
The breakthrough should smash the biggest stumbling block in Northern Ireland's peace process since Britain opened negotiations with Sinn Fein in December 1994.
Very wonderful news. The story goes on with some of the history and previous treaties.
It will be interesting to see what England's response will be. I can also see that since the U.K. is getting a lot more tough on the immigrant Islamofascist terrorists recently, Sinn Fein has decided that it might not be a good time to be a terrorist.
Posted by DaveH at September 25, 2005 11:31 PM