Reactions to the Northern Ireland Secretary have ranged from support for a "courageous" decision to outrage and condemnation that convicted murderers should be allowed to hold a political process to ransom. Below, Mo Mowlam explains her actions, and newspapers, politicians, prisoners and News online readers give their interpretations.

"Tony Blair and I will do all we can to help this talks process work.... That is why I am willing to talk face to face with loyalist prisoners. There are no hidden agendas. An agreement between the parties in the talks that can command the support of the people of Northern Ireland is the only basis for a lasting peace." - Mo Mowlam writing in Friday's edition of The Mirror

Mo Mowlam: committed to peace

"The decision by the Northern Ireland Secretary, Mo Mowlam, to hold talks in the Maze prison today with some of Ulster's most notorious murderers is not just unprecedented; it is also bizarre, deeply offensive and naive in the extreme." - Leader article in The Daily Telegraph

"[Mo Mowlam] is right to go because there is a feeling among Unionists in general, and those who have in the past resorted to violence in particular - whether or not it is justified is irrelevant - that their community is not being heard." - Editorial comment in The Independent

"The Governor of the Maze, Martin Mogg, has said he can guarantee the safety of the Secretary of State," Northern Ireland office

Micheal Stone: has faith in Dr Mowlam

"I found Mo Mowlam to be a capable and affable politician. In my eyes, she has more gumption than all the other secretaries of state put together." - Loyalist killer Michael Stone, who is serving six life terms

"The last time I saw Michael Stone he was throwing grenades and shooting a pistol at us. Today he meets the Secretary of State." - Journalist David McKittrick in the The Independent

"Nothing is cut and dried yet. We voted against the UDP staying in the talks but all that could change in the next couple of days." - Sam McCrory, the leader of the Ulster Defence Association inside the Maze

"I am glad she is coming. Hopefully, we will sort something out," John Adair, another key prisoner in the meeting

"What we have here is a degree of progressive pragmatism and realism." - Harry Maguire, an IRA leader in the prison

Martin Mogg: guaranteeing Dr Mowlam's safety

"Unpalatable as it may seem, we are prisoners of war. We act as an army, as a disciplined group of men, in a very disciplined and determined manner," Jim McVeigh, another IRA inmate

"It may indeed be the case that by this action the Secretary of State has hastened the collapse of the peace process." - Ken Maginnis, the Ulster Unionist Party Security Spokesman

"It has to be seen whether the course of action and the course of conduct followed by the Northern Ireland Office will be properly balanced." - David Trimble, leader of the Ulster Unionists

"The problem we are having is that a vital element of our constituency has withdrawn their support and that is the reason why the Secretary of State is going to the Maze today and is trying to influence that situation." - The leader of the Ulster Democratic Party, Gary McMichael

Readers' views
(for more reaction see Talking Point)

"If loyalist prisoners are consulted, then it is only fair and equitable that republican prisoners are consulted too. However, these people are all criminals. They are not, as some people (particularly from the US), would have us think; freedom fighters on some romantically-motivated crusade against oppression - they were already free. This political prisoner/prisoner of conscience business is sheer nonsense, especially when they revert to violence whenever they do not get their way or run out of patience with negotiations." - Geoff Acres, Austria (UK Citizen)

"One of the cornerstones of Unionism is the demand that the people of Northern Ireland have the right to be treated in exactly the same way as they would on mainland UK. In the rest of the UK, however, it is inconceivable that MPs would meet, and therefore, legitimise these so-called political prisoners. The road that Mo Mowlam, David Trimble and co. are walking down is a very dangerous one - terrorism is terrorism, whether nationalist or loyalist. As Sinn Fein / IRA have proved, bombing and shooting can get you to the negotiating table. But do Unionists want to repeat this process via loyalist gunmen?" - Peter Brown, UK

"Prisoners should never be involved in peace actions." - Seeker P.R.China

"The only struggle these men have devoted themselves to is the cause of slaughter. I may support the Unionist point of view, however, I think the so called "Loyalists" have a funny way of showing their loyalty to the Crown, by committing the most serious of crimes. These self-styled soldiers would merely be common thugs in any other part of the country. I hope that soon the people of Northern Ireland will have the courage to stand up to thugs like them and move towards peace. If the will power of every politician was strong enough then it could be done." - Kevin Foster, UK

"We either regard Maze prisoners as criminals with no political concessions or as captured soldiers fighting a 'cause'. It is my understanding that prisoners anywhere in UK do not have a vote in elections therefore fail to see why the Maze terrorists should be treated differently. If we now regard the people in the Maze as 'prisoners of war' then control of the Maze might be better turned over to the Army." - Campbell Boyd, Scotland

"These men are not criminals - they are prisoners of war. You may not like to think of them as such, but that is what they are. This fact is borne out by the "special status" (officially denied but evident from the conditions in the Maze) that is accorded to them. No-one joins the IRA or UDA (or UFF, UVF, LVF or whatever) lightly. The peace process will survive or founder on these men, make no mistake about this, so "Yes!" their involvement is necessary. However, the present crisis is due to the unionists unwillingness to enter meaningful talks and their reluctance to consider any actions to redress the years of discrimination and oppression that have been perpetrated on the nationalist people in Ireland." - Peter Wallace, UK

"First I feel it needs to be said that the majority of the Maze prisoners would not be incarcerated if not for the Troubles. These men are not criminals, and whether we choose to agree with their tactics or believe as they do, they should not be treated as such. They are soldiers. Of course they should be included in the process. To be blunt, their opinions weigh too heavily within their own communites to be disregarded, despite their convict status." - Matthew Nord, USA

"There are a lot of prisoners in the world, and part of them, are also terrorists and murderers, who should be executed and not be a part of peace processes. But there are also prisoners of conscience and political, who are and also should be in the future a part of peace processes." - Marek Madar, Slovakia

"Political parties are not at war so they don't need peace talks. Paramilitaries are at war and they should talk. Some of them may be convicted felons, but if you want peace, let them talk." - Zoran Obradovic, Slovenia
 

Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage	©