The Irish Republican Socialist Party welcomed the news that Brendan Lillis was released from custody. The decision to release Mr Lillis should have been taken weeks ago and the subsequent delay in moving him to an outside hospital can only be described as callous and inhumane.

Whilst we welcome the release of Brendan Lillis, we will continue to condemn modern-day internment through the revocation of licences. Marian Price and Martin Corey are both being held in Maghaberry Prison through revocation of licence. This has been conducted without trial and is plainly modern-day internment. We would state too that this also makes a mockery of the notion that the Good Friday Agreement marked an end to the conflict.

It is certainly no coincidence that those people currently being pursued by the state are prominent activists who have expressed their opposition to the GFA. The British government are also channelling funds and personnel into the Historical Enquiries Team. This institution is in pursuit of political activists for so-called crimes committed during the 1970s and the 1980s.

We conclude from this that the British government is conducting a major operation against those whom they would still deem a threat to imperialism. They are also responding to those opposed to the GFA by utilising an old method – internment. But, similarly to when used before, internment will only stoke the anger of the Irish working class.

Internment will not silence us. We will not be criminalised and we will continue to fight imperialist aggression by any means neccesary.

End internment now.

Is mise le meas, Garry ó Cianáin,
Belfast Steering Committee, Irish Republican Socialist Party