Unionist and nationalist politicians were divided yesterday in their reaction to the recovery of the body of one of the "disappeared". Unionists accused the IRA of engaging in a damage limitation exercise and said it was disgraceful there would be no prosecutions.
However, nationalists generally welcomed the development. SDLP representative Mr Alex Attwood said: "One of the families can now bury their family member with dignity and respect.
"The IRA should act quickly to hand over the other bodies, account for those whose disappearance they have not yet accepted, and acknowledge the wrong that was perpetrated against these families."
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, said: "This issue is a human rights issue, a justice issue. Sinn Fein has supported the families' demands for these bodies to be returned. I know these are very trying and difficult times for the families involved and I hope that the other bodies are recovered quickly and returned."
The Dungannon priest, Mgr Denis Faul, suggested the timing of the return of the bodies was very deliberate as it coincided with the approach of the Euro elections. "This could have been done back in 1994," he said. "It's not something to congratulate the IRA on, because for more than 20 years they have denied these people basic human rights."
The Ulster Unionist MP for East Derry, Mr Willie Ross, said the manner in which Mr Molloy's body was discovered showed the IRA was attempting to make political capital out of the incident.
"By exhuming the body themselves, taking it to a graveyard and even providing a new coffin, the IRA are clearly intent on minimising repercussions for themselves and insulting these victims and their relatives one last time.
"It is an appalling tactic and one which I trust will be understood by all right-minded people for what it is. I hope this episode - and we must now stand by for eight more instalments in coming weeks as other bodies are recovered - will remind the British and Irish governments exactly who they are dealing with as they continue to cut deals with Sinn Fein/IRA."
The DUP secretary, Mr Nigel Dodds, accused the British government of "the most blatant double standards" by granting limited immunity to the Provisionals over the "disappeared" while, he claimed, allowing the paratroopers involved in Bloody Sunday to be liable to prosecution.
Mr Brian McConnell of Families Acting for Innocent Relatives welcomed the fact that the families of the "disappeared" would now be able to give their loved ones Christian burials but expressed alarm "at the ease with which the Provos are able to bury and dig up people".