Anti-terror head to sit on body

Mr Grieve is the former head of Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist squad

Further details about a new independent monitoring commission which will report on paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland are expected to be revealed by the government on Thursday.

It is understood that the British nominee to the body will be Commander John Grieve, former head of the Metropolitan Police's anti-terrorist squad.

The retired commander will join the Stormont Speaker Lord Alderdice, the senior Irish official Joe Brosnan and a US nominee on the four-strong body

The government hopes the four-member Independent Monitoring Commission will play a role in laying the groundwork for a return to devolution in Northern Ireland.

The body will scrutinise paramilitary activity, a reduction of the security presence and complaints about political tactics which threaten the stability of the devolved institutions.

Northern Ireland's devolved administration was suspended last October amid allegations of IRA intelligence gathering in the Stormont government.

Joint declaration was published after assembly elections postponement

The British and Irish Governments are currently finalising details for the new Independent Monitoring Commission.

Irish sources have confirmed that a retired civil servant, Joe Brosnan, will be Dublin's nominee.

On Tuesday, the BBC revealed that the Stormont Speaker, Lord Alderdice, has been approached to be the Northern Ireland representative.

The US authorities have yet to reveal the identity of its candidate.

The Independent Monitoring Commission is expected to ensure that assembly members operate within the Good Friday Agreement.

In July, the Northern Ireland Secretary, Paul Murphy, acknowledged unionist concerns over the role of the Irish Government on the body.

Former Ulster Unionist deputy leader John Taylor - Lord Kilclooney - had warned that he would oppose any moves to nominate a representative from the Dublin government to the body.

'Sanctions mechanism'

The commission arose out of discussions on the joint declaration earlier this year involving London and Dublin and the political parties.

It formed part of a side deal between the two governments.

The commission can make recommendations to the governments about sanctions, if it believes a party or an individual assembly member has been in breach of its obligations.

It stemmed from demands by the Ulster Unionist Party for effective sanctions against those who breach the Agreement.

Sinn Fein has said a sanctions mechanism already exists within the Good Friday Agreement to deal with breaches, and insists the commission is itself a breach of the accord.

Published in May, the joint declaration outlined plans to reduce troop numbers to 5,000 as part of an attempt to move the Northern Ireland political process forward.

The declaration included five annexes dealing with security normalisation, policing and justice, human rights and equality, on-the-run paramilitaries and mechanisms to verify and monitor any deal.

The document was published after the prime minister postponed elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly which were due to take place on 29 May.

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The joint declaration between British and Irish Governments
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