Bomb-disposal trucks block off the street in Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh, last night following the explosion of a bomb at the rear of Mahon's Hotel. No one was injured in the blast, which caused considerable damage to the hotel. Photograph: Paul McErlane/Reuters
The SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, has called on the Provisional IRA to demonstrate its patriotism and strengthen the peace process by disposing of an amount of Semtex under the aegis of Gen de Chastelain.
In an article in today's Irish Times, written before yesterday's evening's bombing in Co Fermanagh, Mr Hume says such an act would transform the situation and overcome what was probably the greatest crisis since the process began. "I believe that if the IRA were to arrange with Gen de Chastelain that an amount of Semtex was to be left in a certain location, the current difficulties could be swiftly overcome," he writes.
Mr Hume, the joint architect of the peace process with Mr Gerry Adams, says he is appealing to the IRA "to show their deep respect for the will of the Irish people".
He continues: "I ask them to demonstrate for all to see their patriotism and desire to move the situation forward by strengthening the peace process through beginning voluntarily the process of decommissioning."
The intervention of the SDLP leader is seen as broadening the call from nationalist Ireland on decommissioning, emphasising that this is not just a requirement of the Ulster Unionist Party and the British government.
Government sources hope that further progress can be made today in its ongoing discussions with republicans. The clarity the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, had sought in terms of the IRA's intentions had still not been achieved, a spokesman said, though incremental progress had been made through Saturday's IRA statement.
The statement acknowledged for the first time that decommissioning needed to be dealt with in an acceptable way and was a "necessary objective of a genuine peace process". It stated the arms deadlock could be averted and the issue of arms resolved, but not on British or unionist terms.
The Sinn Fein president last night would not be drawn on whether his party was going to seek a judicial review of the British government's decision to suspend the institutions.
A weary-sounding Mr Adams said Sinn Fein had done its best to prevent the crisis and would consider its position carefully before entering another review process.
"I certainly am using all of my influence, to the best of my ability, to sort this out. But I don't intend to take forever that type of abuse that we have been taking from those who have a collective responsibility to do what we are trying to do," he said.
He would meet the Northern Secretary "in the next day or so," Mr Adams added, "to tell him very directly that he will be in default and the British government as a whole would be in default of the Good Friday Agreement if they collapse these institutions, because there is no legal basis whatsoever for the collapse or for the suspension of the institutions."
In Blackpool, the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, urged the IRA to live up to the commitments of the Belfast Agreement, saying there came a time for decision as to "whether attachment to symbolism is more important than the vision of peace. . . The issue of decommissioning is not going to go away, it is not going to disappear, it has to be confronted and resolved now."