Gerry Adams claims attacks on Sinn Féin being ignored

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has claimed the Government, other political parties and the media have remained silent about a series of attacks on his party representatives in recent weeks.

Mr Adams said that in the past week there have been four serious attacks and seven death threats and bomb alerts at family homes of Sinn Féin representatives.

“In recent weeks there has been a sustained and concerted campaign of threats and violence against Sinn Féin representatives, their homes and cars. There has been a marked silence from the government and other parties on these attacks and a lack of news coverage,” said Mr Adams.

He said that last week the car of Sinn Féin activist Sean McMonagle was burned and on Tuesday night the cars of two Derry Councillors, Sandra Duffy and Colly Kelly, were destroyed outside their homes.

“Death threats have been made against representatives Mickey Brady, Conor Murphy, Gerry Kelly and Caoimhe Archibald. The home of Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness was paint bombed.

“There were bomb threats yesterday at the homes of Martina Anderson MEP and Raymond McCartney MLA. This morning there was a bomb alert at my family home in west Belfast,” said Mr Adams.

He said the attacks were clearly linked to the Westminster election with anti-democratic groups trying to intimidate Sinn Féin members and their families. These groups were also deliberately attacking the peace process and the political institutions.

“If any other party in the Dáil was subject to attack there would be understandable outrage. The government and parties in the Dáil must take a clear stand against these actions; condemn them; and reject those who would seek to undermine the peace process and the political institutions in the north,” said Mr Adams.