McGuinness denies Bloody Sunday allegations

Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness has denied allegations that he provided detonators for nail bombs that were supposed to be used in an IRA attack on Bloody Sunday.

The allegations were made by Paddy Ward, a former IRA man who has admitted giving nail bombs to eight members of the junior IRA ahead of Bloody Sunday, including a 17-year-old who was shot dead by British soldiers on the day.

Mr Ward claimed Mr McGuinness and another man gave him the detonators for the bombs. He said it was agreed with Mr McGuinness that a nail bomb attack would be carried out at Derry’s Guildhall Square on Bloody Sunday, but the plan was aborted.

All the bombs were subsequently retrieved, except those given to 17-year-old Gerry Donaghy, who was later shot dead by British solders.

A spokesman for Mr McGuinness last night described the claims as "ridiculous" and said the Sinn Féin MP would deal with them when he gave evidence to the Saville Inquiry.