TALKS AIMED at finding a resolution to a dispute over conditions at Maghaberry jail involving 25 dissident republicans last night broke down.
Efforts involving the Stormont department of justice and the Prison Service are expected to be held today amid growing concern over the current spate of dissident republican violence.
In response to the recent wave of bomb attacks, police and political leaders appealed for public solidarity against the dissidents while Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was also careful to argue for prisoners’ rights in Maghaberry.
PSNI chief constable Matt Baggott, visiting the scene of last week’s bombing of a PSNI base in Derry accused dissident bombers of being of “the same mindset as the Omagh bombers”.
He warned: “They are absolutely reckless and ruthless and they have no concern for the safety of anyone in Northern Ireland. They have no solution for the future except to go back into the past and they must not be allowed to do what they are doing.” Defeating them, he said, is not just a policing issue.
“It is a community issue and we need the eyes and ears of the community to help us in this. Over the last two years these people have become increasingly reckless and together we must put them on the back foot. We are getting better and better information all the time but they still pose a very real terrorist threat,” he said.
Northern Secretary Owen Paterson stepped up his criticisms of dissident paramilitaries and denied his government sought talks with them. Asked if there was a split between Dublin and London on countering the dissident threat he said: “No definitely not, no.”
Aware of the potential for the prison issue to affect public opinion, Gerry Adams said that all prisoners’ rights should be safeguarded and he repeated his criticisms of dissident groups, claiming they were out of touch.
Éirígí said no invitation to talks had been received. Brendan MacCionnaith added: “I can confirm that no such request has been made of Éirígí by Gerry Adams or anyone else in Sinn Féin.
Republican Sinn Féin, which is backing the prisoners in Maghaberry, accused Mr Adams and Sinn Féin of being agents of British rule.
Des Dalton said: “Gerry Adams and his organisation are now fully absorbed into the apparatus of British rule in Ireland and we feel we have absolutely nothing to say to them on that basis.”