Former Alliance leader calls on Sinn Fein to 'disassociate' party from Edgar Graham murder and others

​On the 40th anniversary of the IRA attack, John Cushnahan said such a move would be entirely appropriate if Sinn Fein has aspirations to be a party of government south of the border.

Mr Graham, 29, was an Ulster Unionist MLA for South Belfast and law lecturer when he was gunned down outside Queen’s University on December 7, 1983.

He was widely regarded as a future leader of the party.

Mr Cushnahan, who also served as a Fine Gael MEP, described the murder of Mr Graham as both “brutal and cowardly”.

He said: “Forty years ago this week, the Provisional IRA in a cowardly and brutal act, murdered Ulster Unionist MLA for South Belfast, Edgar Graham outside the university in which he lectured in law. Edgar was also a successful barrister.

"The decision by leading IRA figures to target Edgar was a very strategic and deliberate act.”

Mr Cushnahan has fond memories of his time spent with Mr Graham at the centre of NI politics.

"I was honoured to serve alongside Edgar in the 1982-86 Northern Ireland Assembly,” he said.

"We had a friendly and respectful relationship before his death and had regular discussions about the political matters of the time that arose during our time in the Assembly.

"It was apparent to me, as it was to many other MLA’s in his own and all other parties, that Edgar was a liberal unionist destined for great personal success and almost certain to be a leader of his own party.

"It was that prospect that frightened terrorists on all sides, particularly the IRA and that is why they assassinated him in cold blood outside his place of work.

"They believed that a person of his talents posed a major long-term threat to their objectives. They much preferred that unionism would remain in disarray pursuing more extreme counterproductive policies.”

Mr Cushnahan said the extremists feared Edgar Graham because he had the ability to make a political settlement a realistic possibility.

"They knew, if Edgar had succeeded in leading unionism, the prospect of a political agreement between Northern Ireland’s moderate unionist and nationalist parties just might have been achieved.

"And regrettably, he wasn’t the last democratically elected representative in Ireland and the UKto be murdered by the same organisation,” he said.

"My deepest sympathy goes to his sister, Anne and her extended family.

"I would call on Sinn Fein leader, Mary Lou Mc Donald, as that party sees itself on the verge ofgovernment in the Republic of Ireland to help ease the suffering of Edgar Graham’s family byclearly disassociating themselves from his and all republican murders during the Troubles.

"This would demonstrate they intend pursuing totally democratic policies in the future which are not based on any ambivalence about violence."

Sinn Fein has not yet responded to a request for comment.