Crime: Truce fails to stem Ulster violence

A total of 334 people have been charged with terrorist-related and serious public order offences in Northern Ireland this year, it emerged yesterday.

The figures were revealed in a written answer from the security minister Adam Ingram to the Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble. Mr Trimble had asked "how many persons have been charged with offences in connection with paramilitary beatings in 1997".

Many of the offences took place during the current ceasefire, which began in July. Despite this, the office of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mo Mowlam, has said she is satisfied the ceasefire is genuine.

The previous IRA ceasefire from September 1994 to February 1996 was broken by the Canary Wharf bomb, which killed two people.