PSNI and Northern reaction: The British government and the PSNI say their position has not been affected by the latest IRA statement. Dan Keenan reports.
The Chief Constable insisted yesterday the IRA was not about to resume its campaign, despite having the capability and the capacity to do so.
At a public meeting of the Policing Board in Belfast yesterday, Mr Hugh Orde, indicated that Wednesday night's IRA statement withdrawing the offer to complete decommissioning within a timeframe had not altered the PSNI view.
"I read the statement from the Provisional IRA . . . and our current assessment stands," he told the 19-member board.
"We are clear the IRA has the capacity. We're clear it has the capability. I am not convinced it has any intent to go back to what they would call 'war' or 'the armed struggle'. We continue to monitor that - but that is my assessment and I stand by that assessment."
Asked about the quality of PSNI intelligence which supports his assessments, as well as the inquiry into the bank raid, Mr Orde told members the police service was "utterly fit for purpose in terms of gathering intelligence. It is probably one of the most sophisticated intelligence-gathering police organisations in the UK without exception."
He also said he did not believe the IRA or any other paramilitary group was on the verge of a split. "I don't see any evidence of any split with [ paramilitary] groups."
Referring to the murder of Rab McCartney outside a Belfast pub last Sunday, Mr Orde said he was not blaming any particular group.
"I do not think this is a crime related to any particular group following its particular objective. We are still looking at the motive behind that crime."
The Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, endorsed Mr Tony Blair's assessment that paramilitary and criminal activity was blocking political progress. "They [ the IRA] have to accept that is what is dealing a great blow at the moment, both to the peace process and the political process in Northern Ireland."
Following the IRA statement, unionists called on the governments to move on without Sinn Féin. The Alliance party asked Dublin and London how they envisaged progress being made with the other parties while "they wait for Sinn Féin to sign up".
The SDLP accused the IRA of disregarding the wishes of the people of Ireland in their call for an end to violence and criminality.
Mr Mark Durkan said: "The reality is that the IRA carried out the Northern Bank robbery.
"Instead of facing up to that fact and the huge damage they have done to the peace process, they have thrown a huff at the two governments. They are outraged that the two governments have simply told the truth. That shows their arrogance."