McGuinness admits IRA members’ role in murder

MARTIN McGUINNESS last night became the first senior Sinn Féin figure to publicly admit that IRA members were involved in the murder of Robert McCartney in Belfast.

In the opening address of his party's Árd Fheis in Dublin, Mr McGuinness said he was "outraged and saddened at the involvement of a small number of IRA volunteers in the brutal killing". Sinn Féin's chief negotiator also went further than previous party statements when he urged those involved to admit their roles and significantly "make themselves accountable in court".

The strong emphasis by such a senior Sinn Féin figure on the implications of the murder followed the previous night's statement from Gerry Adams that he had suspended seven Sinn Féin members allegedly involved in the fatal stabbing on January 30.