Independent Monitoring Commission report: The report of the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) covered a period of "dynamic change and of major progress" former Cmdr John Grieve said yesterday.
Presenting the IMC's findings, he said progress had not been achieved without problems. The process of transferring to "a culture of lawfulness" was complex, he added. This would entail debates within the communities as well as within the paramilitary groups themselves, he said. Leadership would prove crucial.
"We have absolutely no doubt that the Provisional IRA uniquely amongst paramilitary groups has taken a strategic decision to abandon terrorism and pursue a political path," he said.
This and subsequent developments flowed from Gerry Adams's statement last April calling all republicans to opt for constitutional politics. Mr Grieve accepted it was not easy for the Sinn Féin leadership to bring all within its movement to "full acceptance of change". He said there was no evidence of IRA recruitment for paramilitary purposes or training. It had no intention to target members of the security forces for attack, and the IRA had not carried out any authorised paramilitary attacks during the review period.
Mr Grieve said IRA members were instructed to have no involvement in rioting and instead were told to offer their services to Sinn Féin and to politics. The movement was being restructured, he said, and transformed into something "more suited to the times".
But all paramilitary groups, he added, were involved in illegal activities to varying degrees. Dissident republicans remained committed to terrorism and were deeply involved in organised crime, he said.
The Provisionals had acted largely in accordance with the statement of last July 28th amid other signs which were "more disturbing". Among these was information on IRA intelligence operations, involvement in crime, and weaponry. The leadership authorised this, Mr Grieve alleged, and it involved "some very senior members of the organisation". Admitting some such activity may be for defensive purposes, he alleged that much activity monitored was directed towards "supporting the political strategy".
The intelligence gathering involved "efforts to penetrate public and other institutions with the intention of illegally obtaining and handling sensitive information".
Some Provisional IRA members continue "to be engaged in significant crime and occasional unauthorised assaults". There was clear evidence that in some areas IRA units were closing down operations and clearing out contraband goods. The commission had no evidence of the IRA conducting any robberies in the review period.
"Members and former members of the IRA continue, however, to be heavily involved in serious organised crime including counterfeiting and the smuggling of fuel and tobacco."
It could not be stated how the "substantial" funds generated were passed through the organisation. The IRA continued to raise funds and to look to the long-term exploitation of the proceeds of earlier crime.
"Money has become a key strategic asset for them," he alleged.
In a key section of his address, Mr Grieve said the IMC had received information that not all IRA arms were handed over for decommissioning last September.
"These reports are not able to indicate precisely what is the nature or volume of any remaining weapons," he said. But there is a suggestion some weapons may have been missed or retained for personal protection. Such reports, if confirmed, raised questions about how much the IRA leadership knew of them.
"The same reports, however, do not cast doubt on the declared intention of the IRA to abandon terrorism. For our part we are clear that is their strategic intent." Other paramilitary groups, including loyalist groups, have made no such move. Loyalist violence and crime remained "disturbingly high" as illustrated during the LVF-UVF feud and after the re-routed Whiterock parade last September.
Early signs of a change within loyalist paramilitary groups was noted as was the positive contribution of political bodies such as David Ervine's Progressive Unionist Party and the Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG).
During questions, commission members denied they were acting to a political agenda or that they were being manipulated by those who were.
They stressed repeatedly that they applied the highest standards of scrutiny to any information they received and they declined to side with security minister Shaun Woodward or Asst Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid in their contradictory assessments of IRA activity.