The Catholic primate, Archbishop Sean Brady, has said decommissioning must take place following the Omagh bombing. He said the terms of the Belfast Agreement, including decommissioning, must now be implemented to strengthen the peace process.
The terrorists must see, he said, that there was an alternative to violence. "They must see that there is an alternative this time. There is a peace process, a peace agreement in place which has to be implemented and has to be worked at, and carried out."
The Church of Ireland primate, Dr Robin Eames, agreed decommissioning should take place now.
He said he believed the Omagh atrocity marked a watershed in Northern Ireland. In the light of what had occurred there was no justification in holding on to arms and explosives. The time had now come for a response from all paramilitary organisations.
The two were speaking yesterday on the BBC Breakfast with Frost programme.
Dr Eames said an overwhelming number of people, both North and South, had shown their wish for long-term peace and stability. The sheer magnitude of what had occurred in Omagh had affected so many lives, he said. "Northern Ireland is a very, very small place, and people know each other. There is hardly a family in this province that has not some connection with someone who was either injured or there."