Tony Blair wrote to Gerry Adams about closure of Strand Road holding centre for terror suspects

Previously classified documents labelled personal and confidential that have been newly-released under the 20-year-rule show the former British Prime Minister wrote to the Sinn Féin leader on November 5, 1999, about the centre.

"On security matters, it has always been my desire to get normalisation under way as soon as possible. The only brake on this is the security situation and the need to take effective measures to protect ordinary citizens from the threat of violence.

"In line with this policy, we will be announcing shortly the demolition of the army's six remaining towers along the Fermanagh border,” he wrote.

Mr. Blair said he expected the closures would be announced once a review of the Good Friday Agreement was completed by US Senator George Mitchell, who had helped birth the peace deal.

“Once the Mitchell Review has been concluded and progress has been made in implementing the outcome, we will announce the closure as soon as practicable of the holding centres at Castlereagh, Gough Barracks and Strand Road.

“We will also publish the security strategy paper in line with the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) as a whole,”

The Prime Minister stipulated that the measures, among others, 'must be seen in the context of the Mitchell Review having a successful outcome, leading to a climate of greater stability and the full implementation of the GFA in all its aspects.'

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