Government scraps 'on the run' legislation

The government has today withdrawn the proposed legislation that would have allowed paramilitary fugitives to return to Northern Ireland without facing jail terms.

Had the legislation been passed, around 150 terror suspects accused of committing crimes prior to 1998 would have appeared in front of a special tribunal where they would have been freed on licence.

NI Secretary of State, Peter Hain, today told Parliament that the legislation was necessary but had been rendered unworkable, due to its rejection by Sinn Fein. He added that the issue of dealing with the so-called 'on the runs' would not go away.

He said: "When I introduced this Bill I said that I would not presume to tell any victim that they must draw a line under the past.

"But the government remains of the view that this anomaly will need at some stage to be faced as part of the process of moving forward.

"It is regrettable that Northern Ireland is not yet ready to do so.

Mr Hain told MP's that Sinn Fein's decision late last month to oppose the Bill, because security force personnel would also have qualified for the scheme, had rendered the legislation meaningless.

However, while Sinn Fein had opposed the bill, every major political party in Northern Ireland rejected the proposals and the government's decision to scrap the controversial proposals has been broadly welcomed.

(EF/SP)