Former IRA leader cremated in Belfast

London: Former Irish Republican Army commander Brian Keenan was hailed as a pivotal figure in the peace process on Saturday before his remains were cremated at an emotional ceremony in Belfast.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams told the crowd of mourners that the peace process would not have been possible without the leadership of Keenan, who died of cancer earlier this week at the age of 66.

"For now let me say that he was central to securing the support of the IRA leadership and rank and file for a whole series of historic initiatives which made the peace process possible," Adams said.

He said the establishment of the coalition government in Northern Ireland would not have been possible without Keenan, a former trade unionist who was active in the Provisional IRA since its early days.

The funeral was attended by Keenan's wife, their six children, and several grandchildren. His coffin was carried by Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and West Tyrone lawmaker Pat Doherty. McGuinness placed an Irish flag on the coffin outside Keenan's house.

Thousands of mourners lined the streets of Belfast in Keenan's honour.

Violent struggle

Keenan was for many years a leader in the IRA's violent struggle against British rule in Northern Ireland. He helped build the clandestine army's powerful weapons arsenal in the 1970s and directed its lethal bombing campaign in England. He was put in prison from 1979 to 1993 for his role in many bombings.

After winning release on parole, he served on the IRA's ruling "Army council," a position that gave him a vital vote in crucial decisions about war and peace as the group moved away from armed struggle to embrace the political process. He resigned in 2005 when his cancer was already well advanced.