THE British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, demanded yesterday that Sinn Fein call an immediate halt to the recent spate of paramilitary murders and punishment beatings in, Northern Ireland.
Speaking on the BBC Breakfast With Frost TV programme, Mr Major pointed out that the beatings had "miraculously" stopped during President Clinton's visit to Northern Ireland last November, which proved they were all "centrally directed".
"That argues for some form of central direction. I don't, think that was a coincidence. After he left they started again. Those people who stopped it before, and I think Sinn Fein and the IRA are both sides of the same coin, could stop it again.
"Every one of these punishment beatings and killings illustrates very clearly how right people are to see the gun taken out of democratic politics and speedily," he said.
However, Mr Major predicted that the killings and beatings would stop shortly before the publication of the international commission's report, on the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons in February.
"I would not be surprised to see that happen. I can't guarantee it but I think tactically that is what might well happen over the next period and I think that will make the point crystal clear that this is under central direction," he said.
Mr Major said he had only one message to Sinn Fein and the IRA. "I would say to Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness and the others: "I believe you can stop these killings and these beatings and if you wish to be taken seriously as democratic politicians now and in the future then you must stop them now and for good," he added.
The Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, claimed that President Clinton's comment to the terrorists, "Your day is over," during his visit to west Belfast had provoked the recent killings.
"That Clinton's comment stung them into the response we have seen in the last five weeks. If is a bit foolish to talk about a ceasefire when guns are being used. It is a deliberate decision of Sinn Fein/IRA to resume the use of guns."