The Sinn Fein MP, Mr Martin McGuinness, has said that the increased deployment of RUC officers and British soldiers in nationalist areas since last month's IRA ceasefire indicates that "securo-crats" are still directing British government policy. Writing in yesterday's Irish News, Mr McGuinness said: "Repressive legislation must end. The deployment of military and paramilitary forces must cease. The military fortifications must go and the building programmes of military fortifications across the Six Counties should end. Why are the British actively preparing for more conflict?
"Since the IRA cessation, the increased deployment of British forces in nationalist residential areas would indicate that the `securo-crats' are still in the ascendancy."
He accused the "securo-crats" of seeking to "deal with what is essentially a political problem by military and security means". Appealing for paramilitary prisoners to be released and for "demilitarisation" by the British government, Mr McGuinness said: "These are the broad brush strokes of where we need to go if we are to achieve a lasting peace."