British in cover-up over IRA arms, says Paisley
Thursday February 23 2006
McGinn
IAN Paisley yesterday accused the British government of being involved in a cover-up over the IRA's final act of disarmament.
The DUP leader made the claim after he was told by General John de Chastelain's arms decommissioning body that it would not produce any inventory of the Provisionals' weapons until all other paramilitary groups had got rid of theirs.
"We have now a cover-up," the North Antrim MP said.
"We have a cover-up by the government who actually are in the controlling seat and they have agreed evidently with the IRA that decommissioning is finished.
"The government will not take any step to see that the whole truth comes out on this matter."
Last September the IRA carried out a final act of decommissioning in the presence of General de Chastelain and two clergymen acting as independent witnesses - Redemptorist priest Fr Alex Reid and Methodist minister Rev Harold Good.
The DUP have been sceptical about the move because the IRA would not consent to any footage of the weapons being put beyond use.
That scepticism was further fuelled earlier this month when Northern Ireland's ceasefire watchdog, the Independent Monitoring Commission, and General de Chastelain confirmed that security sources told them they believed the Provisionals had retained a range of weapons.
After consulting the IRA and the gardai, General de Chastelain's commission said it was satisfied the Provisionals had put beyond use all the weapons under their control.
However, IMC member Lord Alderdice queried that assessment, saying he was not so convinced.
Mr Paisley called on MI5 and the PSNI yesterday to release publicly what they knew about the claims.
The DUP leader, who also discussed loyalist weapons with the general, said: "They should tell the people what they know so that the people can be forearmed to meet what is going to happen, because those arms are going to be used against the Protestant population of Northern Ireland."
Dr Paisley's comments were criticised by SDLP leader Mark Durkan: "On the one hand, Paisley says that he raised loyalist decommissioning with the IICD. Then in the next breath he predicts sectarian warfare and gives them the excuse they need to hold on to their weapons."
Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness accused the DUP of seeking excuses not to engage with his party.
"The IRA have dealt decisively with that issue and the DUP know this," he said.
