McGuinness condemns attack blamed on IRA

SINN FÉIN’S Martin McGuinness last night condemned a weekend gun attack on a bus driver in his home city of Derry which police believe was the work of the IRA.

As republicans came under renewed pressure to explain the wounding of Danny McBrearty at the wheel of his bus on Sunday, Mr McGuinness added his voice to the criticism of the attack from SDLP leader Mark Durkan and unionist politicians.

The Stormont education minister declared: “I am deeply concerned about the attack in Derry on Sunday night which left Danny McBrearty badly injured and about the trauma caused to passengers travelling on the bus which Mr McBrearty was driving.

“I want to make my position on this attack absolutely clear. It was wrong and should not have happened.”

Mr McBrearty was driving pensioners back to Derry on Sunday from a day trip to Co Donegal when his vehicle was stopped in the Creggan area of the city by a masked gang purporting to be from the IRA.

When he refused to obey their order for him to leave the bus, Mr McBrearty was hit on the head with a hammer and shot in both legs.

In his hospital bed on Tuesday, the 54-year-old claimed he was targeted by the Provisional IRA because he had helped foil an attack on his nephew Joseph McCloskey. Mr McCloskey has since fled Derry.

Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid yesterday confirmed the initial investigation pointed the finger of suspicion at the Provisional IRA.

Mr McGuinness’s condemnation of the attack was interpreted as a direct response to the questions asked about republicans’ commitment to the peace process in the wake of the shooting.

Ulster Unionists have warned the McBrearty shooting could have a bearing on whether they move to expel Sinn Féin ministers from the North’s power sharing government ahead of the party’s January 18 deadline for republicans to prove they will abandon violence.

They also rounded on the leader of the SDLP Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan for appearing to remain silent on the attack while condemning their attitude to loyalist paramilitary violence.

However, Mr Durkan hit back insisting he had always condemned violence from any quarter. “This was a savage attack. I have no reason to disbelieve members of the IRA were responsible,” the Foyle MLA said.