Posted on 03/14/2005 2:18:44 PM PST by MadIvan
Sinn Fein chief Martin McGuinness has warned the family of IRA murder victim Robert McCartney to back off.
With one of the sisters threatening an electoral challenge to the party, the Mid Ulster MP claimed the campaign to bring the killers to justice could be left open to political manipulation.
They could risk popular support, he told the family.
Clearly rattled by the intensity of the crisis engulfing Sinn Fein, Mr McGuinness said: "The McCartneys need to be very careful.
"To step over that line, which is a very important line, into the world of party political politics, can do a huge disservice to their campaign.
"In fact, it can dismay and disillusion an awful lot of people, tens of thousands of people who support them in their just demands."
Mr McCartney's five sisters and fiancee are travelling to Washington as part of their fight to get the killers into court.
Meetings have been lined up with President George Bush and senators Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton.
Gerry Adams is visiting the US this week, but Bush and Kennedy have both declined to meet him in the wake of the murder.
The family believe witnesses to the January 30 murder outside a Belfast city centre pub have been frightened into silence.
Although the IRA has expelled three volunteers and Sinn Fein suspended seven members, no one has been charged over the killing.
With two of the republican party's election candidates in Magennis's Bar on the night a gang attacked Mr McCartney, its leadership are under intense pressure.
But republican sources claimed one of the chief suspects is now prepared to make a full statement to detectives.
His solicitor has contacted police in a bid to have him questioned about the murder, it was claimed.
I just hope no one brings up any stupid remarks about the IRA being no different than George Washington or that England's to blame is some twisted way. The IRA is to blame. It's victims know it. We do them an even greater injustice when we get off on weird tangents.
Oh boy. They'd better not do this. They'd better not harm one hair on any of their heads.
ping
It's an outrage. An absolute outrage.
I remember after 9/11 when it seemed the IRA had apologized for their past terrorism and was a little hopeful. They've burnt their bridges.
I'm with you, touch one hair on those girl's heads and
there will be a dreadful price to pay.
I was about to say the same thing. It's tolerably obvious that they are so used to going unchallenged as they operate in the shadows, they haven't a clue as to how to behave when people finally start paying attention. And I say, let them talk their way right into the dustbin of history.
Apparently, Ringo gets a free pass...
Crikey has McGuiness been a thug so long he has no idea he has just uttered a threat publicly????
merely affirming the current low opinion of the IRA and Sinn Fein.....
and imagine that, fighting to ensure criminals come to justice is somehow a bad thing, according to McGuiness?
Veiled threat?
McGuinness is a thug himself. The fact that he was ever let within a ten mile radius of the power-sharing executive is mind-boggling to me in itself.
The McCartney sisters need to stay in the public eye. And it's time for the noose to tighten on Sinn Fein's funding overseas. I see they've stepped up their 'bank jobs' over here - to fund their political campaigns in the south, no doubt.
Time to cut off their financial air supply completely.
Worse than the mafia.
It is if they are IRA freedom fighters criminals. .
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