McGuinness facing court civil action
A CIVIL action against deputy first minister Martin McGuinness on account of his historical leadership in the IRA is to be progressed in the High Court.
In March, the News Letter reported claims by Willie Frazer that he had served a writ on Mr McGuinness in Parliament Buildings for damages relating to the murder of his father by the IRA in 1975.
Martin McGuinness has previously gone on record to confirm that he has held a senior role in the IRA, which murdered 1,778 people during the Troubles.
Yesterday, Mr Frazer said Sinn Fein's reaction to the findings of the Saville report had prompted him to progress the case, which will be progressed on Monday.
"About 50 of us are going to the High Court to activate the writ and to say that Martin McGuinness is in default of our civil action," Mr Frazer said.
"He should have come back and said whether or not he was going to contest the matter. Our claim is that he was in charge of an organisation which murdered my father and friends.
"We are not out to create mischief, but since the Saville report, Sinn Fein have now called for further investigations and prosecutions of the security forces.
"But if that is really the road they want to go down then we will all have to go down it together. We will not stand by and allow Sinn Fein to demonize our community and the security forces."
A Sinn Fein spokesman said: "Willie Frazer is irrelevant and a serial failed political figure. His views have been rejected by the people in the Westminster election and Sinn Fein has better things to worry about."
Mr Frazer told the News Letter the action against Mr McGuinness for the shooting of his father was a sample charge in what would be a wider civil action, based on the successful Omagh civil trial.
In March, Sinn Fein rejected that Mr Frazer had served a legal document.
"Martin McGuinness did not receive a writ from him (Frazer)," a spokesman said at that time.
"He threw some piece of paper at the ground. The only writ Martin McGuinness has is from the Irish people who vote for him."
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Monday 28 May 2012
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