McGuinness 'immunity' claims rejected
THE DUP has called suggestions it is providing immunity from prosecution for Martin McGuinness "scurrilous" and "absolutely without foundation".
North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds was reacting to MLA David Burnside's suspicion that the DUP, British and Irish governments, the PSNI and the Historical Enquiries Team would make sure Mr McGuinness would never face charges for IRA activities because it would endanger the Stormont Executive.
The Ulster Unionist raised the issue in yesterday's News Letter after ex-RUC officers he knows were quizzed over incidents in the Londonderry areas, going back to the early 70s – when the Sinn Fein Deputy First Minster was a self-confessed IRA commander in the area.
He asked why Mr McGuinness was not also being questioned.
The PSNI said no one was immune or above the law and there was no political policing.
Mr Dodds said: "Where has Mr Burnside been over the last few years?
"The DUP has said on countless occasions that everyone is equal under the law and equally subject to the law.
"There can be no equivocation regarding the rule of law – that is what the DUP has founded its strategy upon.
"We have stated that no party should be in Government without being committed to solely peaceful and democratic means – with a clear support for the police, the courts and the rule of law."
He added: "Indeed, when David Burnside's party was sitting in Government we tabled motion after motion calling for the exclusion of Sinn Fein until they met our democratic standards but the UUP refused time and again to give us their support – it was not the DUP that was protecting Sinn Fein.
"David's party was incapable of standing up to republicans.
"They caved in on every occasion and failed to promote our unionist interests.
"It was people like David Burnside who rubbished the DUP strategy. They thought we could not force the PIRA to decommission – but we did.
"We will not take lectures from David Burnside about how to deal with Sinn Fein.
"After all, what did the UUP ever achieve apart from unaccountable, unstable and unsustainable government?"
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Monday 28 May 2012
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