Governments to release latest IMC report next month

The latest Independent Monitoring Commission  report on paramilitary ceasefires is to be published next month.

The latest Independent Monitoring Commission  report on paramilitary ceasefires is to be published next month.

The four-member IMC, whose last report in February claimed Sinn Féin leaders sanctioned robberies including December's £26.5 million heist at Belfast's Northern Bank, has handed over its fifth report to the British and Irish Governments.

However a Northern Ireland Office spokesman said their latest findings on the IRA, loyalist and other republican groups' ceasefires would only be released once the House of Commons resumes sittings after the British general election on May 5th.

"Under law we are required to lay the report before Parliament," he said. "Parliament is not sitting because of the election, so we will not be able to do it until Parliament returns next month."

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The IMC is made up of former Northern Ireland Assembly Speaker Lord Alderdice, ex-Metropolitan Police anti-terrorism unit chief John Grieve, retired Irish civil servant Joe Brosnan and the former deputy director of the American CIA, Richard Kerr.

Previous reports have led to the British government imposing financial sanctions on both Sinn Féin and the loyalist Progressive Unionist Party over IRA and Ulster Volunteer Force activity.

The latest IMC report is the first since Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams made a direct appeal to the IRA earlier this month to consider abandoning armed struggle and embrace the democratic alternative of pursuing their goals through politics.

The West Belfast MP last night said he was told by the Provisionals' leadership its internal debate was now under way.