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Northern Ireland

I join the Secretary of State in offering sincere condolences to the family of Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey, their colleagues—those who travelled, and those who had to stay behind, both as witnesses and to offer support and comfort to the families. I also offer my sympathy to the injured soldiers and their families, and the injured civilians. Does the Secretary of State recognise that on Saturday, the Real IRA attacked not just a British Army base but the chosen will of the Irish people, which was for a peaceful future and shared political institutions? Does he agree that, as all the parties in the Assembly seem to be saying today, the message needs to go out very strongly that it may cut down two young men on a Saturday night, but it will not bring down our political institutions, mandated by the people of Ireland, north and south? It may gravely wound civilians, but it will not be allowed to injure the integrity of the new beginning to policing, which has been so central to delivering the degree and strength of condemnation and call for information that has been so apparent at this time. That has been on a level and to a degree not seen before, not even in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing. Does the Secretary of State share the resolve of all the parties speaking today in the Assembly that we will allow no difficulty or difference that exists between us on any issue to be exploited by these vicious terrorists who, with their callous violence and their vicious language justifying it, want to bring us back? They may be steeped in the violence of the past, but they will not plunge the rest of us back there.