What the papers say

Journalist Keith Baker takes a look at what's making the headlines in Monday morning's papers.

Several of the papers concentrate on the raid in County Waterford and the discovery of what is thought to be a Continuity IRA training camp.

The Irish Independent talks of gardai celebrating "a major coup".

Meanwhile, there is a lot of reaction to the news that Gerry Adams may be the latest target for dissident republican paramilitaries.

The Irish News has a picture of the Sinn Fein President at the West Belfast Festival on Sunday being interviewed by reporters and saying he is not going to be intimidated.

But in its editorial, the paper says: "It is clear that there are forces in both republicanism and loyalism who would like nothing better than to see the community returning to the murderous days of fear we all endured before the ceasefires.

Threats to politicians, indeed any politician, can't be tolerated The Mirror

"A threat against Gerry Adams is a symptom of those intentions," it says.

The News Letter says: "Mr Adams may not have much regard for the police service but he will hardly be ignoring their warning.

"Death threats have no place in Ulster politics," it feels.

The Mirror agrees.

"Even though there are those in the Unionist community who mightn't miss Mr Adams", it says, "threats to politicians, indeed any politician, can't be tolerated."

But as for whether the threats are genuine, there appears to be some doubt in the Irish Times.

'Reports'

Sources in both the Real IRA and the Continuity IRA tell the paper that Mr Adams isn't in any danger and the reports that he is a target are complete and absolute nonsense.

In the Irish News there's a similar reaction from the Belfast journalist Sean Mag Uidhir to claims that he was an informer for the security forces.

"Absolute rubbish", he tells the paper and he says his solicitor will be issuing writs against the Sunday papers which carried the allegations.

The News Letter front page concentrates on a problem facing one of the Omagh bomb relatives.

Michael Gallagher, whose son was killed in the explosion, has criticised the Victims Minister Angela Smith for rejecting a plea to help his daughter Sharon get a Housing Executive property near the family home.

He says Sharon has been suffering from depression since her brother was murdered.

The News Letter thinks Ms Smith has shown little consideration or compassion and that the Omagh bomb victims deserve better.

We are watching something deeply unpleasant and unworthy - the character assassination of a man who can't defend himself. The Independent

In the cross-channel papers, the Defence Secretary, Geoff Hoon, is under fire again, this time because he is going on holiday instead of attending Dr David Kelly's funeral.

The Sun says this is Mr Hoon's third major blunder.

First he went skiing during the war in Iraq, then he went to the British Grand Prix shortly after Dr Kelly died.

The Mail headline urges him to make this "a full-time holiday".

The paper claims he has been cut adrift by his cabinet colleagues and is clearly being hung out to dry.

There are different views on why Mr Hoon may have taken his decision.

The Mirror says Dr Kelly's widow didn't want him at the funeral but the Sun thinks there would be trouble in the Hoon household if the holiday was cancelled.

Meanwhile, the Independent reports on whispers from a Whitehall source that the late Dr Kelly was a fantasist who misled both the Ministry of Defence and the BBC.

The paper quotes the unnamed contact as saying - "the guy was a Walter Mitty".

The paper's editorial doesn't like this.

It says: "We are watching something deeply unpleasant and unworthy - the character assassination of a man who can't defend himself."