“What the NIO spooks and PSNI’s political detectives have forgotten..”

As Mark mentioned, also following Martin McGuinness’ grandstanding in Tullamore, Sinn Féin passed the script back to the same little known placeman as before, the party’s national chairman Declan Kearney – this time commemorating “an unbroken chain of republican struggle” at a parade in Dunloy. The BBC report picks up on the warnings of unspecified “political consequences”, but there’s also this line from his speech.

“Nor is there any acceptable role for British military forces in today’s six counties. Sinn Féin will not accept the reintroduction of any British military presence or activity; be it undercover, or otherwise.”

Presumably that’s a reference to the recent activities of the Army’s Special Reconnaissance Regiment? But what about MI5’s new £20million regional headquarters in County Down, Declan? And the 35 MI5 officers seeking anonymity in a current RIRA trial?And then there’s this section

“And, it is also no accident that in recent weeks those remaining of what we know as the political detectives have once more re-emerged in relation to a series of high profile repressive raids against Sinn Féin members. These raids are motivated by entrenched counter insurgency attitudes within the NIO. They are designed to threaten political stability and wrong-foot Sinn Féin strategy.

“It is clear that some within the NIO are determined to bring their old war mentality once more into the ascendancy. But they are picking a fight they cannot win.

“What the NIO spooks and PSNI’s political detectives have forgotten is that this strategy didn’t win the war; and no amount of recycled counter insurgency tactics will stop the momentum for political change in the six counties now.”

That would be these Sinn Féin members? The “good friend[s]” of Northern Ireland Executive Minister Conor Murphy, MP, MLA…