The North's police chief Sir Hugh Orde and the British government have been called on to state clearly why convicted IRA bomber Seán Kelly was returned to prison yesterday.
Mr Kelly is back in prison after secretary of state Peter Hain suspended his release licence over breaches of the terms of his early release under the Belfast Agreement.
However nationalist SDLP justice spokesman Alban Maginness said the rearrest, which Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has described as deplorable, raised serious questions about the prisoner which needed to be addressed.
“If it is proved that Mr Kelly has been re-engaged in terrorist activity then some serious questions must be asked,” the North Belfast Assembly member said. “Under the terms of prisoner release negotiated under the Agreement this is the most serious breach and rearrest is the only option.
“Given this arrest and reimprisonment it is now incumbent on the Chief Constable and the authorities to demonstrate clearly that the reason for Mr Kelly's rearrest is based on substantial evidence of his reoffending.”
Mr Kelly, 33, was originally jailed for bombing a fish shop in 1993 in the Shankill Road area and killing 10.
He was released with other prisoners in July 2000 under the terms of the
Belfast Agreement.
Mr Hain said yesterday he had ordered the Shankill bomber's rearrest because security intelligence indicated Mr Kelly had become involved again with terrorist activity.
“I am satisfied that Seán Kelly has become reinvolved in terrorism and is a danger to others and while he is at liberty, is likely to commit further offences,” he said.
“On the basis of security information available to me, I have decided to return Sean Kelly to prison with immediate effect.”
Mr Hain also warned he would not hesitate to suspend the licence of other prisoners who got early release under the Good-Friday Agreement if they presented a risk to the safety of others.
“My priority is public safety and the interests of the whole community and I cannot permit freedom to an individual intent on abusing the opportunity they have been given to benefit from the early release scheme,” he said.
“I am satisfied that this particular individual has breached the terms of his licence and that it is appropriate for me to suspend his licence.” Independent Sentence Review Commissioners will now consider Mr Kelly`s case and decide whether to revoke his licence.
As Irish and British government officials awaited an IRA response to Gerry Adams' call for them to commit themselves to purely democratic means, Sir Hugh told the BBC's Politics Show: “I think we will be seeing a statement in the near future and I would hope the statement is a positive one which people will accept in the spirit that it is given.
“No doubt, people will wait to see what happens post the event. I have always said actions speak louder than words and I think we will wait to see what happens after the statement.