Adams says IRA arms move 'painful'

The IRA's decision to start decommissioning has been a "painful" experience for republicans and many in the movement are still struggling to come to terms with it, Sinn FΘin president Mr Gerry Adams said yesterday.

He admitted many supporters saw "no good cause for what the IRA did" in putting a quantity of arms beyond use. "Clearly, the response from people everywhere is an emotional one and even those who would rationalise it and see the logic of it are hurting," he said. "I believe that what the IRA did was an act of patriotism. And patriotism requires pain, but I believe republicans will remain loyal to us."

Mr Adams was speaking before a special meeting of the party's ruling executive, the ard chomhairle, in Navan last night. The meeting was called at short notice to discuss last week's developments and to look ahead to this week's events.

About 40 people attended the meeting, including the North's education minister Mr Martin McGuinness and the veteran republican Mr Joe Cahill. The meeting passed a motion supporting the leadership shown by the IRA.

Mr Adams said in the wake of last week's historic move, the party had decided to "come together and discuss the situation".

Asked if there had been more dissent than expected, Mr Adams said the level of emotions raised by decommissioning did not surprise him. It had not been helped by the reaction of loyalists, who carried out "12 bomb attacks over the weekend," he added. On the difficulties facing Mr Trimble's prospects of being re-elected First Minister, he said he could "only speculate like anyone". But of Mr Trimble's reluctance to be elected on the votes of the Women's Coalition, he said: "I would think anyone in his position wouldn't be that fussy."

Mr Adams also said the British government's reciprocal moves on demilitarisation were inadequate and a lot more needed to be done. If the military presence in South Armagh or Tyrone was duplicated in "Navan, or Drumcondra or Kerry, you wouldn't put up with it", he said.