What the papers say

Journalist Mike Philpott takes a look at Monday's morning newspapers.

Confusion reigns in the local news columns as the papers consider those claims of IRA involvement in the Castlereagh break-in and the targeting of Conservative politicians.

The Daily Mail complicates matters still further as it follows up a Sunday Telegraph story claiming that republicans have been shopping for weapons in Russia and in the USA.

The News Letter, under the headline "Last Days of Peace", says speculation that the IRA might be planning to renew its campaign of violence has reached fever pitch.

In a leader, it comments that the events of the past few months have been remarkable, even by Northern Ireland's standards.

"For those who want Sinn Fein out of the political process," it says, "it's all grist to the mill."

'Evidence'

And, the paper adds, even though there's a great deal of confusion, the circumstantial evidence against the Provos is growing at an alarming rate.

The paper believes that if hard evidence emerges to link mainstream republicans with the break-in at Castlereagh, Sinn Fein must be slung out the door of Stormont and told not to return until they've put their house in order.

The Irish News leads with those republican denials of involvement in the Castlereagh incident and the targeting of Conservative politicians.

In its main editorial, it turns its attention to international matters, commenting that Israel has serious questions to answer about its military offensive in the West Bank.

Noting that the Israelis have banned the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, from taking part in the international investigation, the paper says it's depressing that the UN can be dictated to in this way.

'Sanctions'

"It's clear," it says, "that the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, has little regard for foreign opinion... but he should be left in no doubt that his policies are not acceptable to the outside world."

It calls for sanctions if Israel doesn't comply with the international community's demands.

The tabloids and broadsheets are evenly divided between the French presidential election and the story involving Ulrika Jonsson and Sven Goran Eriksson.

But the Mail pushes both issues off its front page to make room for Mo Mowlam's account of what the paper calls the rivalries and back-stabbing at the heart of new Labour.

Its political editor, David Hughes, writes that her memoirs, which are being serialised from today, will shake Number 10 Downing Street.

She claims her difficulties began after she received a standing ovation during Tony Blair's speech to the Labour conference in 1998.

The Mirror has more unwelcome news for the Prime Minister, as it claims that the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, is ready to oppose any plans for a military strike against Iraq.