Blair 'wanted secret IRA talks'

The prime minister offered to meet masked IRA men, it is claimed

Tony Blair offered to hold secret meetings with masked IRA leaders to try to save the Northern Ireland peace process, a former aide has claimed.

The ex-prime minister wanted to have talks with the IRA's so-called army council to persuade them to disarm and sign up to the political deal.

The claim has been made by Jonathan Powell, a former No 10 chief of staff.

Mr Powell said: "Tony was always convinced of the powers of persuasion that he had to win people over."

He added: "About three or four times he suggested to Gerry Adams that he should meet the IRA army council.

"Adams said: 'Well I'm not really sure about that'. One time he said:' Yes, maybe', but then it came to nothing."

Tony Blair was prepared to go to extraordinary lengths for a deal

Mr Powell made the claims about Tony Blair in his new book: Great Hatred, Little Room: Making Peace in Northern Ireland.

Interviewed by the Guardian newspaper, he said IRA leaders "could have worn masks" during the meetings with Mr Blair.

Mr Powell also told the Guardian: "Seamus Mallon's complaint is that we talked to Sinn Féin because they had the guns. My answer to that is: 'Yes and your point is?'

"We were talking to the people who had influence on the people with guns."

Mr Powell's book also claims Mr Blair offered a secret deal to Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams during the 1998 Good Friday Agreement to release IRA prisoners after one year. In public, Mr Blair only offered to release them after two years.

Mr Powell also claimed he held a series of secret meetings with Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams, often being driven around by republicans on lengthy detours to republican safe houses in Derry.

He further alleged that Mr Blair redrafted an IRA statement at Chequers in the presence of Mr Adams in 2003 and Mr Powell himself regularly drafted Sinn Féin statements.

He claimed Mr Blair was prepared to have a showdown with the British army over its initial refusal to remove watchtowers from the strongly republican South Armagh.

His book also reveals the identity of the key IRA leader who decided republicans should disarm.

Powell, 51, served as Mr Blair's chief of staff from 1995 until he left Downing Street last year.