Gregory Campbell: Today we remember the six people murdered by the IRA in Coleraine

The 49th anniversary of the IRA bombs that devastated Coleraine town centre, killed six people and ruined the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of others was held today (Sunday June 12) where the atrocity occurred.

Those behind the locating of a permanent memorial are deserving of the thanks of everyone, including all of us who attended today.

Northern Ireland society needs to build a future where these events are remembered but not repeated.

It is regrettable but not surprising that those involved in the bombing, including a Sinn Fein councillor currently on Causeway Coast and Glens Council, who served a period of imprisonment for his part in the atrocity, have never been able to declare the action as wrong and offer apologies for the hurt.

Sinn Fein repeatedly demand openness and apologies from the UK state for the part they played in trying to deal with the IRA terror, but never apply the same logic to the initiators of the violence, the IRA.

Gregory Campbell, DUP MP for East Londonderry