Anger over SF speaker at Strasbourg

DUP’s Diane Dodds spoke out after the GUE/NGL group, to which Sinn Fein belong, hosted Sean ‘Spike’ Murray at a seminar at the European Parliament.

Mrs Dodds said: “Most people would think it outrageous that a convicted terrorist, who served 12 years in prison for explosives offences, comes to Strasbourg to pontificate on justice.

“This is Sinn Fein once again attempting to rewrite history. I suspect that Sean Murray’s talk did not focus on the justice denied to many victims of IRA terrorism, which is worsened many of those involved will not even admit to their role.”

She added: “We recently marked the anniversary of IRA brutally executing civilians returning from an honest days work at Kingsmill simply because they were Protestant.

“I doubt there was a mention of them by Sinn Fein in Strasbourg.

“When Sinn Fein speak of justice what they mean is prosecuting our soldiers and security forces. Those who defended us. We will stand against that. The DUP will not allow Sinn Fein’s revisionism to prevail.”

And during a European Parliament debate on combatting terrorism, Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson spoke about the treatment of elderly soldiers based in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and Sinn Fein’s “cynical and self-serving” behaviour at European Parliament.

He “We now see elderly former soldiers being questioned and brought before courts in connection with events from more than 40 years ago.

“Meanwhile, almost 200 IRA terrorist suspects have been given letters of comfort and others have received Royal pardons.

“We must also keep a sense of proportion and ensure that in investigating the past we do not focus disproportionately on the actions of those who sought to keep our communities safe and who suffered grievously in the process.

“I took the opportunity to urge MEPs not to be taken in by Sinn Fein’s cynical and self-serving attempts in the European Parliament and elsewhere, to whitewash the IRA’s crimes from Northern Ireland’s history.”