IRA says to cease all armed activity

LONDON - The Irish Republican army said it had formally ordered an end to its armed campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland from 4pm (3am Friday NZt) on Thursday..

The guerrilla group said it would cease all activity and pursue its aims through politics, Sky said, reading from an IRA statement -- a crucial move to revive talks on a lasting political settlement in Northern Ireland.

Sky News said the first paragraph of the statement read as follows:

"The leadership of the IRA has formally ordered an end to the armed campaign. It takes place from 4 o'clock this afternoon. All IRA units must dump arms. Volunteers are instructed to assist in the development of purely political and democratic programmes through exclusively peaceful means."

The IRA had been expected to outline plans for its future since April, when its political ally Sinn Fein called for the guerrillas to end armed struggle for a united Ireland. Crimes it was accused of fanned calls for the group to disband and sparked harsh censure of Sinn Fein from traditional supporters.

- REUTERS