Members of GAA `not convinced' on new policing arrangements

Sinn Fein has claimed many GAA members remain "totally unconvinced" that revised policing arrangements in Northern Ireland represent…

Sinn Fein has claimed many GAA members remain "totally unconvinced" that revised policing arrangements in Northern Ireland represent a new beginning.

The Sinn Fein chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, said his party was not involved in formal consultations with branches but had contacted individual members as part of its campaign against the new policing plan.

"The feedback that we are getting is that people are totally unconvinced. People do not believe that this is a new beginning," Mr McLaughlin said yesterday.

The possible removal of Rule 21 from the GAA rulebook, banning members of the RUC and British army from games, was again highlighted with last week's decision by the SDLP to accept the British government's re-draft on policing.

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"The issue of plastic bullets and the issue of human rights abusers in the RUC also transferring across to this new police force are issues that I think affect GAA members as well as other members of the nationalist community," he added.

The GAA has announced an internal consultation process on the policing plan and urged political parties not to interfere. A two-thirds majority among 340 delegates at a special congress would be needed for the ban to be lifted.

Mr McLaughlin yesterday accepted that the issue should not be reduced to the GAA being forced to choose between Sinn Fein and SDLP positions. "It will be decided in a mature fashion by the GAA on the merits of the argument, is it Patten or is it not?" he said.

A Sinn Fein delegation will today meet the Northern Ireland Office Minister, Mr Des Brown, on their request. The party hopes to "kick-start" negotiations on outstanding issues.

Meanwhile the Alliance party justice spokesman, Mr Stephen Farry, yesterday claimed three Irishmen suspected of training Marxist guerrillas in Colombia could be deported and tried before a British court.

He said that under the British Terrorism Act, 2000, the suspects could be tried for paramilitary activity abroad.