Jimmy C, anyone thinking straight should be equally critical of the IRA protecting McCartney's killer as they are of Unionist riots and petrol-bombing police. I don't believe Catholic areas are at particular risk though. That would only be the case if Protestant gang members were avoiding attacking Catholics because they were frightened of being shot. Besides which, Protestant gang members are currently busy enough fighting each other and the police...

Flamenco ted, any views in particular that Mudcat exists to reinforce?

Greg, De Chastelain said that he personally handled and inspected every weapon, every piece of ordnance that was decommissioned. Granted he can't know that this was everything, but it was apparently in line with estimates of what they had. Maybe I'm being gullible, but it sounds legit to me, and very good news. It's just a shame the IRA didn't allow photographic evidence, because that's allowed Unionists a loophole to allege that it wasn't done correctly. Although you can only claim that if you're prepared to call De Chastelain and two priests liars, and I'll be interested to see if Paisley will stick his neck out that far.

Graham.