AN IRA prisoner in Britain yesterday described the IRA decision to end its ceasefire as "the most stupid, blinkered and ill conceived decision ever made by a revolutionary body".
Joe O'Connell urged those republicans who believe in the peace process to speak out and urge that the ceasefire be restored.
It was particularly important that the Sinn Fein leadership spoke clearly for the peaceful way forward, he said.
Unless the IRA reversed its decision, it would have disastrous results for the republican and nationalist position in the long term "and our hopes and expectations - a negotiated and just settlement in Ireland - will be in tatters," he warned.
O'Connell (44) has served more than 21 years of a recommended 30 year life sentence imposed in connection with an IRA bombing campaign in Britain in 1974. He also admitted in court in 1977 that his Balcombe Street IRA unit was responsible for the Woolwich bombs which cost two lives and for which at that time four innocent people, the Guildford Four, were serving life sentences.
The prisoner, who is originally from Kilkee, Co Clare, and is detained in Full Sutton jail, in England, criticised the decision to end the IRA ceasefire in a letter to the republican newspaper An Phoblacht published yesterday.
O'Connell's letter is one of several featured by the newspaper which have criticised the IRA decision to end its ceasefire on February 9th last.
In his letter, the prisoner said he was "saddened and disappointed" with the IRA decision and did not believe "returning to the armed struggle can be justified in any way in the light of the past 18 months of peace".
"Indeed, the broad nationalist consensus that has evolved as a result of the IRA ceasefire is the most positive development of it and this is well worth bearing with and giving the chance to bring the results that are hoped for.
"This must surely be obvious as the best way of proceeding for the whole republican movement towards getting all party negotiations and hopefully an agreed political settlement," he wrote.
"Now for the life of me I cannot understand where the ending of the ceasefire and a return to war fits into this or how it has any hope whatever of achieving the desired negotiations quicker."
He continued: "For the IRA to order a resumption of war until it is promised a date for all party negotiations - something which achievable under the now binned peace process anyway - must surely go down as the most stupid, blinkered and ill conceived decision ever made by a revolutionary body anywhere ever before in history.
O'Connell said those people within the republican movement "who have moved might and main in recent years helping to build the peace process and heading towards the unarmed strategy must now speak out and take risks for peace once again".
"Those who believe this is the way forward must emerge and argue strongly for the ceasefire to be restored and the peace process put, back on track."
He said the British and unionists had goaded republicans for the past 18 months in the hope of dismantling the nationalist consensus and his view was: "Why oblige them?"
"Now the IRA has and the British Tory and unionist leaderships for the first time in 18 months are comfortable in their positions and language. This is clear for all to see.