McGuinness 'surprised' by IRA offer to shoot suspects
Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness has said he was surprised by the Provisional IRA's offer to shoot those it believes responsible for the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney.
Mr McGuinness also said today that he would not support such a move and was glad the shootings didn’t happen, but added that the offer showed the IRA “would not cover up for or protect the perpetrators of the murder”.
In a statement released last night, which has sparked outrage in the North, the IRA said it had offered to shoot four people, including two IRA members, blamed for the January 30 murder.
However, it said this was rejected by the dead man's sisters, who wanted those responsible to be tried before the courts.
PSNI chief constable Hugh Orde has said he believes the IRA was prepared to kill the four men, saying: "I have no doubt that's what they meant".
The republican movement has been under intense pressure in the wake of the McCartney murder, with the dead man’s sisters and fiancee accusing the IRA of shielding the killers and intimidating witnesses.
However, republican sources have indicated that, short of tying up the four suspects and leaving them outside a police station, there is little more they can do.
The McCartneys are expected to respond to the latest IRA statement on the matter later today.
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