IRA's political wing wins seat in Ulster assembly

The political wing of the outlawed Irish Republican Army won its first seat in Northern Ireland's local assembly in a crushing blow to British hopes for peace in the troubled province.

''While the British remain in Ireland, the IRA will remain in there fighting, '' said Gerry Adams, the winner, who polled 9,740 votes to win a west Belfast seat on the first ballot. He will boycott the assembly, however. The victory was viewed as a humiliation for the Social Democratic and Labour Party - the traditional voice of moderate Roman Catholics in the province.