Only five paramilitary prisoners will be left inside Northern Ireland's top-security Maze Prison over Christmas. The five men are Loyalist Volunteer Force inmates on remand. Prisoners awaiting trial do not qualify for release. However, several sentenced prisoners in Maghaberry jail, Co Antrim, including anti-agreement republican inmate Martin Duffy, and Loyalist Volunteer Force inmate Mark Fulton, will not be released. The Irish Republican Prisoners' Welfare Association said Duffy, an "Oglaigh na hEireann" inmate who is due to be freed in May, should have been granted parole. The group accused the British government of political discrimination.
Among those being released are the Shankill bomber, Sean Kelly, and the leading loyalist, Michael Stone. The Northern Secretary, Mr Peter Mandelson, said the prisoners were being freed in recognition of "remarkable political progress". Mr Mandelson said 139 republican and loyalist prisoners would be given Christmas home leave today - 131 who were eligible for it and eight who were not. The eight comprise two Provisional IRA men, three INLA inmates, two UDA men and one UVF prisoner.
They include James McArdle, who was jailed for 25 years for his part in the Docklands bomb which ended the Provisional IRA's ceasefire in 1996.
"In recognition of the remarkable political progress which has been made over recent weeks and as a confidence-building gesture by the British government, I have decided to use my powers under the prison rules to allow all those remaining sentenced prisoners in HM Prison Maze to be released over the Christmas-New Year period," Mr Mandelson said.
Ms Marion Price of the Irish Republican Prisoners' Welfare Association challenged Sinn Fein to speak out against the decision not to release Martin Duffy.
"While we are delighted that other prisoners are being released, double standards are at work. Provisional IRA prisoners with far longer sentences to serve are being released but Martin Duffy is spending Christmas behind bars because he does not support the Belfast Agreement.
"The British government is trying to blackmail him. Will Sinn Fein condemn this?"
A Northern Ireland Office spokesman said Duffy was not being released because he "does not meet the published criteria".
The DUP MLA, Mr Gregory Campbell, said he was appalled that any prisoners were being released while decommissioning had not taken place.