McGuinness to deny Bloody Sunday bomb claims

Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness was expected today to deny claims that he was preparing an attack in Derry on Bloody Sunday.

The Mid-Ulster MP was due to hand in another statement to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry dealing with the claims made by former IRA member Paddy Ward and also in a book.

It has been alleged Mr McGuinness and another member of the Provisionals had detonators for 16 nail bombs which were going to be used in attacks on Bloody Sunday.

However, it is claimed, the plan to launch the attacks was pulled.

In a statement to the Saville Inquiry, Mr McGuinness has already admitted to having been a senior member of the IRA in Derry on Bloody Sunday.

He is expected to deny Paddy Ward’s claim, insisting he did not even know the man making allegations against him.

He is also expected to challenge the claim which is contained in a biography of him by journalists Liam Clarke and Kathryn Johnston.

The inquiry is investigating the events of January 30, 1972, when 13 unarmed civilians were shot dead during a civil rights march in the Bogside area of Derry.