Adams says political process in 'great danger'

The British government has given those who oppose change in Northern Ireland an advantage by creating a political vacuum, Sinn…

The British government has given those who oppose change in Northern Ireland an advantage by creating a political vacuum, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams argued tonight.

Speaking ahead of a hunger strike rally in Belfast, Mr Adams warned the political process was in "great danger".

He said: "The multiple suspensions of the Assembly by the British Government, the rejection by the governments and the unionists of seismic initiatives by republicans; the failure to implement the Good Friday Agreement and the cancellations of the elections have all created a political vacuum.

"This is being filled by those who letter-bombed the Ulster Unionist Party office, by the continued activities of unionist paramilitaries and by the securocrats.

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"There is now a period of uncertainty with the upcoming marching season and the threat which is posed to beleaguered nationalist communities as the summer approaches.

"All of this arises from the strategic and scientific application of a programme for change which Sinn Fein has been pursuing. There is a battle between those who want to maximise the change and those who want to minimise it."

With the peace process deadlocked over demands on the IRA to spell out clearly an end to all paramilitary activity, the West Belfast MP attacked the British government for giving "an advantage to those who want to stop change".

In a reference to the flood of allegations about west Belfast builder Mr Freddie Scappaticci, the Sinn Féin president claimed securocrats were also trying to undermine the peace process with "an avalanche of briefings" to a "largely compliant and unquestioning" media.

Mr Scappaticci yesterday came out of hiding to deny allegations that he was a British army spy operating at the heart of the IRA.

Mr Adams asked: "What agenda is being served by all of this? And what do we do about it?

"The agenda being pursued is a wreckers' agenda.

"The conflict here requires a political solution - that is self-evident. But for years attempts to bring about a political solution was prevented.

"It is being opposed now by those within the British system who want to cover up the practice of illegal and criminal behaviour including the killing of citizens."

The West Belfast MP said the Irish and British Governments had a duty to stop those people within their systems who were trying to undermine the process.

In particular, he insisted British Prime Minister Tony Blair would have to stand up to those in the British system intent on wrecking the process.

Mr Adams also called for the truth to be revealed about the involvement of the security services in the killings of civilians during the Troubles.

"People here who are victims of collusion between the state and unionist death squads; who are the victims of [army agent] Brian Nelson, the Ulster Defence Association and Ulster Resistance; and of the Forces Research Unit and Joint Services Group which replaced it and who lost relatives in the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and other similar actions have a right to the truth," he said.

"There should be full disclosure by this government of the strategies and activities of Britain's secret agencies in the North over the last 30 years."

PA