McGuinness protests over Ferris arrest

Sinn Fein’s chief negotiator Martin McGuinness was today in contact with senior Irish government officials after a party member tipped to win a seat in the Republic’s parliament was arrested as part of an investigation into a vigilante attack.

Minister McGuinness last night appealed to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to intervene in a ‘‘campaign of political harassment’’ by gardai against Sinn Fein in Kerry North.