McGuiness: There should be no return to violence

McGuiness warns IRA against violence

McGuiness warns IRA against violence

Sinn Fein has urged the IRA not to return to violence after the paramilitary group withdrew a conditional offer to put its weapons beyond use.

“Sinn Fein is totally and absolutely opposed to any return to conflict,” deputy leader Martin McGuinness told Sky News on Sunday.

Mr McGuiness’ comments come a day after Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams insisted that the IRA’s political ally remained committed to the Northern Ireland peace process.

Asked whether he would “categorically” tell republican paramilitaries not to break the ceasefire, Mr McGuiness stressed that he would press all parties to resist a return to violence.

“That is very strongly my position. Not just to people on the republican side, but to people on the loyalist side, to undercover elements within the British military and to the British army in South Armagh,” he said.

On Wednesday, the IRA announced it had withdrawn its offer to enter into a “new mode” of decommissioning – after it was blamed repeatedly for carrying out the £26.5m Northern Bank raid in Belfast in December.

Speaking today, Mr McGuiness stressed the current political stalemate would not be marked by a fresh outbreak of unrest in Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, the head of the Catholic Church in Ireland has warned that the Belfast bank heist has done “huge damage” to the trust between political parties.

“I believe that that robbery has done huge damage to the trust that was being built up, and perhaps that was the intention,” said Dr Sean Brady, the archbishop of Armagh.

“The challenge is to rebuild the trust and to rebuild it more securely maybe than ever,” he told BBC Radio Ulster on Sunday.