Republican and loyalist terror groups 'committed to peaceful means'

A Government-ordered independent review of paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland has found that all the main republican and loyalist terror groups remain in existence, but are committed to peace.

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers told Parliament that all the groups that declared ceasefires during the peace process in the 1990s have gone on to commit murder in the years since.

But she said none were currently planning or conducting terror attacks.

Outlining the findings of the review, Ms Villiers said: "On the purpose of these groups the report concludes that 'it is our firm assessment that the leaderships of the main paramilitary groups are committed to peaceful means to achieve their political objectives' but that 'we judge that individual members of paramilitary groups with a legacy of violent activity still represent a threat to national security'."