UUP release “evidence” from meeting with de Chastelain

In response to sustained attacks from the DUP, the UUP have released a transcript of their meeting with head of decommissioning body General John de Chastelain outlining details of IRA’s “actual decommissioning”.

A statement released late on Friday October 26 from the UUP states: “We have taken this step to place very clearly in the public domain some of our record of the discussion with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD). This will allow the public to judge for themselves the views of the Commission. We view the DUP’s attack on the IICD as belated and totally predictable it is a desperate attempt by the DUP to throw sand into the air to cover their tracks as they return to government.”

The UUP statement comes in the wake of vociferous attacks made on the IICD by DUP leader Reverend Ian Paisley and newly installed DUP Minister for Social Development Nigel Dodds, who have claimed there was not a “shred of evidence” that republicans had destroyed their weapons.

Speaking after a meeting on Thursday night with General John de Chastelain Mr Paisley said: “The answers tonight illustrate how far in an act of treachery to the law-abiding citizens, David Trimble is prepared to got to keep the charade of the assembly in place.”

However, Friday’s statement from the UUP attempts to rebut these allegations and claims that there were three independent eyewitnesses of decommissioning in progress.

The transcript shows General de Chastelain and his two colleagues stating: “The three of us have witnessed an event which complies with the decommissioning legislation and regulations. We are all satisfied that the process renders the materials permanently unusable and unavailable.

“I can tell you that we all handled the arms and weapons to check they were genuine, we counted them and the ammunition and we weighed the explosives.

“The event is significant. Since I have been here I have seen wall murals many times, which say ‘not a bullet, not an ounce’. I can assure you there is more than a bullet and an ounce, but I cannot say how much. We can say however that we have taken inventories and it contains a range of materials.”

Meanwhile the British government is continuing to press ahead with work on dismantling several army bases throughout the province. Part of a “rolling programme” of “security normalisation,” demolition work has already begun on bases in South Armagh and Londonderry. (AMcE)