Unionists accuse SF of '˜hypocrisy' following Syria bombing protest

Martina Anderson MEP, a convicted IRA bomber, staged a protest in the European Parliament over the recent bombing of Syria.

Ms Anderson, along with fellow Sinn Fein MEPs Liadh Ní Riada and Lynn Boylan, held up signs calling for an end to the bombing and an end to the war in Syria.

“What we need to see is a humanitarian response to the ongoing crisis in Syria, not a military response which will only add to the pain and suffering,” she added.

The UK, US and France launched joint strikes on three Syrian government sites near Damascus and Homs on Saturday. The western allies said they were targeting chemical weapons facilities.

But UUP MLA Doug Beattie said, given her “unashamed IRA past”, Ms Anderson’s words “ring hollow”.

DUP MP Gregory Campbell also labelled the SF MEP’s remarks as “double standards and utter hypocrisy”.

As a member of the Provisional IRA, Ms Anderson was convicted of conspiracy to cause explosions. She was in jail for 13 years before she was released under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

Since then, she has played a leading role in Sinn Fein and took over as MEP from Bairbre de Brun in 2012.

Ulster Unionist MLA Mr Beattie told the News Letter: “Every time one of these former terrorists from Sinn Fein say how terrible bombings are I cannot help but roll my eyes at the hypocrisy.

“Until Sinn Fein is willing to condemn and apologise for its campaign of bombings and violence, then these sorts of remarks ring hollow.

“While I can find some common ground with those people who have reservations about the military action in Syria, I can find no common ground with a one-time bomber like Martina Anderson, who remains brazen and unashamed of her actions as a member of the IRA.”

East Londonderry MP Mr Campbell added: “Martina Anderson takes hypocrisy to a new level. In fact she recently retweeted a comment which said ‘military violence does not solve problems’. That is the ultimate irony coming from someone like her, who is unrepentant of her terrorist past.”

Responding to Mr Beattie and Mr Campbell’s comments, a Sinn Fein spokesperson told the News Letter: “Sinn Féin will take no lectures from political unionism which has been a cheerleader for British imperialist wars of aggression which have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, men, women and children in the last two decades alone.”

Mr Beattie, who served with the Royal Irish Regiment in war zones including Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan, said the prime minister had “every right” to join military action in Syria.

Speaking about Mrs May’s decision to carry out joint air strikes without consulting parliament, Mr Beattie added: “She may have been acting on intelligence which meant she had to act swiftly.”