TONS OF PROVO WEAPONS AXED

ALMOST 10 tonnes of IRA weapons have been destroyed in the last few days.

A republican source said guns, ammunition and "other ordnance" have now been "put verifiably beyond use".

The destruction of the weapons has taken place under the watchful eye of General John De Chastelain and members of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.

According to the source, the first moves began more than a week ago when Quartermasters from IRA units throughout Ireland were ordered to attend a special meeting at a location in Co Louth. During the meeting a senior member of the IRA Army Council, the Quartermaster General, told units the decommissioning of arms and explosives was about to begin.

The IRA's QMG also instructed units on how the process was to be carried out at ground level.

Local terror bosses then returned to their own areas to begin the process of opening arms dumps under their control. Within days of the meeting ending IRA weapons were on the move.

Arms, ammunition and explosives were removed from dumps in Co Kerry and Co Galway and transported to a prearranged location where they were destroyed, the source said.

However, the source claimed the Provos will maintain two small units in the short term "to ensure the dissidents and the IRSP did not step out of line".

He said the IRA had warned dissident republicans they would not tolerate any form of military action which could further delay or disrupt the political process.

News of a start to decommissiong comes as Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams told a rally the IRA was going to honour its commitment to dump its arms.

At a speech to thousands of Sinn Fein supporters in Dublin, he said: "Such an announcement will have a huge impact on the political process. I know it will be difficult for many republicans. There will be some who are concerned about the future. But I believe that we need to face up to this opportunity in a positive mood.

"I don't think republicans have absorbed what it is about. I don't think the media have absorbed what it is about. I don't think our opponents have absorbed what it is about," he said.

"But when the IRA delivers, when our opponents and our enemies no longer have the IRA to use as an excuse, what are they going to do?"

As if in reply, DUP leader the Rev Ian Paisley has claimed the decommissioning process was a mess. He said the IRA had made the rules, appointed the referee and was doing as it wanted.

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