Row over IRA 'ceasefire' claim

IRA activity could rebound on political process

A political row has erupted following an IRA denial that it is targeting politicians or military bases.

An IRA leadership source told the BBC it did not carry out a break-in at the Castlereagh police complex and blamed it on "some section of British intelligence".

But the police have said IRA involvement in the breach on 17 March, in which sensitive security documents were stolen and a Special Branch officer assaulted, was one of its main lines of inquiry.

Subsequent raids by police in republican areas uncovered IRA intelligence files containing the names of senior Conservative politicians and British Army bases.

David Trimble: "This would be a breach of the ceasefire"

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble has said he will not be pushed into sanctions against Sinn Fein until the situation is clarified.

However, he said if the IRA was responsible for last month's break-in, it would be viewed as a breach of its ceasefire.

The Ulster Unionist Party has introduced a motion in the Northern Ireland Assembly calling on the Secretary of State, John Reid, to report on the current status of the IRA ceasefire.

Mr Trimble and Industry Minister Sir Reg Empey are also meeting senior police officers on Monday amid growing concern among unionists about the state of the IRA ceasefire.

Ian Paisley junior, of the anti-Agreement Democratic Unionist Party, said the IRA was an organisation of "killers and liars" and its "denial meant nothing".

"I think that the reaction of unionism so far has been atrocious," he told the BBC on Monday.

"I think for David Trimble to make the claim that he is going to sit back and wait is wrong. How often is this man going to have to sit back?

"Is he going to wait until he is shot himself before he then recognises that the IRA is not a credible organisation to have in government with him?"

However, Ulster Unionist Michael McGimpsey said his party wanted to get beyond speculation to discover what was going on.

"We will not knee-jerk," he said.

"But I think, certainly, if we get any indications of where we are standing, and those indications are that republicans are more than misbehaving, being insincere, then there will be consequences."

Mitchel McLaughlin: Ulster Unionists stance is "helpful"

Sinn Fein assembly member Mitchel McLaughlin described the UUP's stance as "helpful" and said it was clear the IRA was not involved in Castlereagh.

"The execution of that particular operation was so professional, relied so much on detailed, inside information and the assurance that there would be no discovery," he said.

"That, I think, is the most sinister development in recent months."

Security sources have told the BBC they believe the IRA intelligence files found in the raids, showed that the organisation had been involved in gathering intelligence on the people named in the past few weeks.

But in the statement to the BBC, the IRA said the arrests and raids in republican areas were "part of a smokescreen".

It is understood none of the Special Branch files stolen from Castlereagh were found in the raids.

Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith is expected to discuss his party's worries about the list at a private meeting with Tony Blair in Downing Street on Monday morning.