Politicians extend sympathy to family as British soldier dies from IRA bomb injuries

GOVERNMENT and Opposition leaders have extended their sympathy to the family of the British soldier, Warrant Officer James Bradwell, who died yesterday from injuries received in the IRA attack on Thiepval Barracks.

The Taoiseach said his name must now be added to those of Jerry McCabe, John Jeffries and Inan Bashir, people killed by the IRA since it ended its ceasefire, a ceasefire that Sinn Fein had insisted would hold in all circumstances.

If there is a new ceasefire, will it be just a conditional ceasefire like the last one, or will it hold in all circumstances? That is the question that the republican, movement must now answer, Mr Bruton said.

A ceasefire conditional on political progress was not consistent with the Mitchell principles, he added. Others in politics did not reserve the option of a return to violence if political developments did not match their aims.

The Tanaiste, Mr Spring, said the killers of Warrant Officer Bradwell should know that their latest atrocity and murder would advance their campaign not one inch. Dialogue was the only path to a resolution of problems on this island, and no amount of killing or maiming would secure admission to that dialogue.

The Minister for Social Welfare, Mr De Rossa, said this death illustrated the duplicitous nature of the republican leadership who preached peace and practised murder. The IRA should listen to the voices of the Irish people on whose behalf they claimed they carried out these vile deeds.

The Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, said the death of Warrant Officer Bradwell made a vile deed even worse. There was no need for more lives to be lost. Everyone needed to redouble their efforts to restore the ceasefire.

Ms Mary Harney, leader of the Progressive Democrats, said that yet another life had been lost for no reason. The IRA should not be allowed to make Northern Ireland's future a replay of the past. They should be told in no uncertain terms that they had no role to play in a democratic society.

Reacting to Mr Major's speech at the Conservative party conference yesterday, Government sources said the prime minister was reiterating his commitment to the talks process, and the two governments were at one on that.

These sources also believed they would know next week, when the talks resume at Stormont Castle, whether the decommissioning logjam could be broken.