SF criticise 'Real IRA' message
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7997429.stm Version 0 of 1. Sinn Fein has criticised a statement made at a dissident republican demonstration in Londonderry by a man claiming to represent the Real IRA. The masked man attacked the peace process and Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness for recently describing republican dissidents as "traitors". Two soldiers shot dead in Antrim last month were both killed by the Real IRA. Sinn Fein said it would not be intimidated by groups with no political strategy and only miniscule support. BBC Ireland correspondent Mark Simpson said a young man, dressed in combat fatigues, dark gloves and a balaclava, emerged from the middle of the crowd of about 200 at a cemetery on the outskirts of Derry. 'Implied threat' There was a short delay, as the masked man could not unfold the statement with his gloves, and had to be helped before he could begin, our correspondent said. The man used belligerent language and there was nothing in the statement to indicate the group would accept the widespread calls for it to stop its violence, he added. Sinn Fein later said the statement contained an "implied threat". Sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, from Birmingham and Patrick Azimkar, 21, from London, were shot dead at Massereene Army base, Antrim, on 7 March. Four other people, including two pizza delivery men, were injured. |