IRA apology sparks criticism

David Trimble has dismissed the IRA apology as inadequate

LONDON, England -- UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing ongoing pressure to take action against Sinn Fein -- despite an unprecedented apology from the IRA for killing civilians during its 30-year anti-British campaign.

The IRA statement also acknowledged the grief and pain of the families of combatants -- soldiers, police officers and loyalist paramilitaries -- killed during the violence and insisted it remained committed to the peace process. (Full story)

Dublin and London has broadly welcomed the apology but unionists in Northern Ireland are wary saying they believe the statement was designed to take pressure off the republican movement.

The apology came on Tuesday, three days before the 30th anniversary of what is known as "Bloody Friday" -- in which nine people were killed and 130 were injured by more than 20 bombs that exploded in less than an hour in Belfast. (Analysis)

EXTRA INFORMATION In depth: Conflict and Hope in Northern Ireland  Full text: The IRA statement    MORE STORIES Analysis: The IRA statement

But Unionist politicians on Wednesday dismissed the statement, with Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble saying Blair needed to make clear what the British government would do if the republican movement breaching its cease-fire.

Trimble has given the prime minister until July 24 to say what sanctions could be imposed against IRA.

He told the UK's Press Association news agency: "It is quite significant that this statement says nothing at all about the recent violence that the IRA has been involved in, nothing about what their future conduct is going to be."

CNN's European political editor Robin Oakley said the apology came as a surprise to both the Irish and the British governments.

"But it comes at a time when the IRA is under intensive pressure. It has been put on the defensive over the arrests in Colombia of IRA members working with FARC rebels and there are allegations it was involved in a burglary of Special Branch offices in Belfast in March," Oakley added.

'Half-hearted apology'

In unionist circles there has been a mixed response to the IRA apology. (Statement in full)

Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson attacked it as a "half-hearted apology" which "doesn't go far enough".

Peter Robinson, the deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party said the statement had "all the odour of being more to do with the dilemma they are facing with the prime minister than any earnestness on their part to recognise the hurt and anger they have caused."

But David Ervine, the leader of the Progressive Unionist Party which speaks for the Ulster Volunteer Force, said the IRA's statement should not be dismissed out of hand.

Nearly 1,800 people have died during the IRA's campaign

"It's been a long time in coming and we should acknowledge the fact that it has arrived and hope that maybe it heralds a new attitude," he told PA.

Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid also said he welcomed the strength of the IRA's words and its acknowledgement of the pain caused to so many.

He said: "What we all have to do is to give people the confidence that there will be no return to the type of activities that caused that pain and that we are all committed to resolving our difficulties through exclusively democratic and political means."

Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern and his foreign minister Brian Cowen described the apology as a "significant contribution to the process of consolidating peace and reconciliation".

They said in a joint statement: "While this offer of sincere apology and condolences will not undo the hurt and grievance that has been caused to the victims or their families, it nevertheless represents a significant step forward in the process of healing that must take place."

Records show the IRA killed nearly 1,800 people during its campaign, nearly 650 of them civilians.

Friday July 21, 1972, was one of the most notorious dates in the violent history of the Northern Ireland troubles.

The day became known as "Bloody Friday" as panic-stricken shoppers ran from one to location to another hoping for safety as bombs went off around them.