I do wonder what "physical action" those soft liberals in the IRA would have been willing to countenance?

Being serious, I do not think this plays well with an external audience. I am not qualified to say what NI nationalists will make of it. Maybe in the Short Strand they will like it. What about the median nationalist voter. Again, I cannot say. But it looks GOD AWFUL to me to be offering "physical action". Brutality by IRA members followed by IRA brutality on the brutal IRA members. It' all negative.

And it looks reactionary - are we supposed to believe that the IRA would have made this offer of "physical action" against its own brutal members if the McCartney sisters campaign had not had so much resonance in the nationalist community? This is about votes - says I.

I think it is clear what it means, the IRA has done all it can, short of shooting those involved?

How else do people expect the IRA to compel those involved to come forward and incriminate themselves and others? Please tell me what actions should they take? Should they take legal advice from Alberto Gonzales, or the IMC?

Please suggestions on a postcard.

They should expel all IRA *witnesses* who do not give evidence.

The Broom makes some very valid points.. as usual.

and I see, UTV news, that Sinn Féin (or at least Gerry Kelly) has resumed interpreting IRA statements again.. well that didn't last long.. did it?

It means the IRA has had its head buried in the sand for the past few months.

And these guys were considered political geniuses?

They have made themsleves a laughing stock.

This is like watching a bad episode of The Supranos, with Tony acting like he was police chief of "Joysee", only its Gerry Kelly thinking he is Chief Constable of NI.

As Broom says, if this weren't so serious it would be funny. But she is right, this is a battle for who is Police Chief of Belfast. I hope the McCartney girls succeed in showing what real republicanism looks like: the rule of law, not of men.

Once again , nothing in the IRA statement about the Law, or Courts, or Police.
Just shows how completely out of touch they are with regards to what ordinary people want to see.

Has the Republican Movement now got the same advisers as the Orange Order had for all those Drumcrees?

Whatever next?

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Gerry Kelly's interview on Channel 4 News on this subject a few moments ago was simply shocking - Sinn Fein/PIRA just don't get it - they have provided the evidence in thier own statement that by threatening to carry out a shooting, which is a criminal act, they have breached the ceasefire. They're all on licence. Lets bring them in!

Complicated.

If it had been a member of my family ? I would have told them to do it. And probably have regretted it later.

The problem with the offer was that it was forced out of them and looks as if it is expedience rather than a measured response by a disciplined organisation.

IF they had gone ahead and done it a couple of days after the death who would be saying what ? Most people would, I suspect, feel little sympathy for the murderers and would object on principle or more likely in an opportunistic response.