IRA 'still active' says DUP

The discovery of personal details of a range of people on IRA intelligence files proves the organisation is still active, according to the Democratic Unionist Party.

The information was found on a computer seized by the police in searches of republican areas after the break-in at the Castlereagh police complex on 17 March.

Police in Northern Ireland have warned legal figures, forensic officers and loyalists that their details have been found on the files.

The prime minister promised that if there was even an inkling of a return to violence he would slam them all back in jail again

Sammy Wilson DUP

DUP assembly member Sammy Wilson said the situation created problems for both the prime minister, Tony Blair, and the pro-Agreement parties.

"It causes problems for those parties sharing power with the political representatives of the IRA," he said.

"What are they going to do? Are they going to continue doing that?

Sinn Fein's Mitchel McLaughlin said he would be disappointed if the IRA was gathering intelligence on potential targets.

Mitchel McLaughlin: Urged people not to jump to conclusions

The Foyle assembly member said if targeting was going on, it should stop.

However, he asked people not to jump to conclusions.

"We don't know how old those lists are," he said.

Several weeks ago, detectives discovered a list of senior Conservative politicians on the same computer.

As their minute examination of the computer's memory disk went deeper, police experts found a list of more than 200 names covering the security forces, the judiciary, forensic scientists, politicians and loyalists.

Allegations of IRA involvement in the Castlereagh break-in and with Colombian guerillas - while it is supposed to be on ceasefire - have put enormous strains on the political process in Northern Ireland.

Alban Maginness: "We must study the overall situation"

Security sources have described the latest find as highly significant.

However, SDLP assembly member Alban Maginnis said it was too early to jump to conclusions.

"I think that we have to stand back and study the overall situation and wait for a more definitive view of what actually has happened in relation to Castlereagh and the information that has been uncovered as a sequel to the Castlereagh investigation," he said.

The information was collected over a long period of time. Much of it is old but some material has been updated - the retirement date of one of Northern Ireland's most senior detectives was logged.

'Worrying'

He only left the police service last year.

Sources say the word "target" was typed against some names.

Leader of the loyalist Progressive Unionist Party David Ervine has confirmed that some loyalists have been contacted in recent days.

Mr Ervine said the discovery of more names on an IRA intelligence file was a worrying development, but not surprising.

A republican prisoner, who was released early under the Good Friday Agreement, is facing charges of having information likely to be useful to terrorists.

He was taken from Maghaberry jail and re-interviewed by detectives at Lisburn police station after the latest discovery of information.