The IRA has disposed of a substantial quantity of usable weapons. The move has been welcomed by the North's First Minister but dismissed by some as an election stunt aimed at voters in the Republic, write Mark Brennock and Gerry Moriarty.
The IRA's second act of arms decommissioning was said last night by reliable sources to have involved "usable" guns, ammunition and explosives - a much larger quantity than was put beyond use last year. The event is believed to have taken place at the weekend and was witnessed by members of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.
Its chairman, Gen John de Chastelain said details of the amount of ammunition, arms and explosives put beyond use would remain confidential at the IRA's request but it was "varied and substantial". The British and Irish governments would receive an inventory of the decommissioned arms when the IICD's work was completed, he added.
Anti-Belfast Agreement unionists dismissed the act as a cynical stunt designed to win Sinn Féin votes in the South.
The First Minister, Mr David Trimble, said that it had confounded anti-agreement unionists who had insisted the IRA would never dispose of any of its arsenals. There was "an overwhelming moral and political onus" on loyalist paramilitaries to start decommissioning, he added. The Taoiseach Mr Ahern said there should now be no doubt "that the goal of the agreement of putting all paramilitary arms beyond use is indeed fully achievable".
Northern Secretary Dr John Reid said, "no deals were done" to achieve this second round of decommissioning.
The British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, said the move was "immensely significant".
In the Republic, Labour Party leader Mr Ruairí Quinn and the Progressive Democrat chairman Mr John Minihan questioned the timing of the move, suggesting it was designed to boost Sinn Féin's chances in the election.
Sinn Féin's president, Mr Gerry Adams, rejected these suggestions. Flanked by his party's Louth election candidate, Mr Arthur Morgan, Mr Adams said: "This issue is too deadly serious . . . to become a mere election stunt."
The IRA move may offset recent negative publicity for Sinn Féin arising from allegations that its members in Kerry have been involved in vigilantism. The IRA has also been under pressure over claims that it was responsible for the break-in at the PSNI Special Branch office at Castlereagh.