THE IRA, in a statement last night, said it was treating loyalist death threats seriously, but added that it did not want any military engagement with loyalism.
In a statement issued in Dublin yesterday evening the IRA army council paid tribute to the loyalist leaderships for "imaginative thinking" in recent times. Last weekend, the Sunday Life newspaper in Belfast reported a statement from an unnamed faction of UDA and UVF dissidents that it planned to break the loyalist ceasefire and execute known members of Sinn Fein and the IRA.
The full IRA statement read
"Following recent press reports and other indications, Oglaigh na hEireann wishes to state that we have every reason to take seriously the recent threats of a return to a, murder campaign by loyalist death gangs."
"Having said that, we wish to make our position absolutely clear. We have no desire for any type of military engagement with loyalism. Loyalists should consider their position very carefully. The loyalist leaderships have shown themselves to be capable of imaginative thinking in recent times, they should continue to do so.
"It would be a matter of serious regret should they again allow themselves to be used as surrogates or dupes by either the British or the Unionist leaderships. We urge all nationalists and Catholics to exercise extreme vigilance. Oglaigh na hEireann will closely monitor developments."