Letter: Murders in Ulster

Sir: Arthur Valentine (letter, 18 August) points out that IRA sympathisers have been linked to "only" three murders. Others link the IRA to another five murders, including two in Dublin, and the attempted murder of Marty McGartland in Whitley Bay, plus numerous "punishment" beatings, intimidation and exiling as well as gun-running.

But we are being dragged towards a moral cesspit if we start to play a ghoulish numbers game. One murder is one murder too many. We need to have direct confirmation from loyalist and republican paramilitary groups that their "war" is over. Decommissioning would be a powerful sign of this and would help convince many understandably sceptical people that Sinn Fein, the only paramilitary-linked party with ministerial prospects, is fit for office. One can then hope that, despite its murderous and sectarian past, Sinn Fein could play a positive role in building a new society in Northern Ireland.

HARRY BARNES MP

Joint President, New Dialogue

House of Commons

London SW1