THERE may be uncertainty over who planted the massive bomb in South Armagh yesterday.

But there can be no doubt as to its intent - that of blowing up the already-tenuous Ulster peace process.

But, given that evident aim, politicians of all sides ought not to consider whether it means that the IRA ceasefire is a lie, that Sinn Fein should now be removed from the multi-party talks on Northern Ireland's future and that the Ulster Unionists now have a valid excuse for turning their trepidation into refusal to join the talks.

For, following that path would be playing directly into the bombers' hands.

The bomb yesterday should make them all the more determined to press on with the peace process and not draw back.

Previous news story

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.