Sinn Féin chairman Mitchel McLaughlin said today he knew nothing about party colleague Martin McGuinness's alleged leadership of the IRA in Derry.
Giving evidence to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry in the city, the leading republican denied all knowledge of the membership or the activities of the organisation, saying: "They guard their secrets very carefully and jealously."
Under close examination at the Guildhall in Derry, Mr McLaughlin said he had never discussed IRA membership with Mr McGuinness, a fellow member of Sinn Féin in the city over many years and now the Northern Ireland education minister.
He claimed he had never even asked the Mid Ulster MP about his participation in a meeting between the Provisional IRA leadership and Northern Ireland Secretary Mr William Whitelaw in 1972.
Counsel to the Inquiry Mr Christopher Clarke QC asked: "And you ask this tribunal to believe that you do not know to this day whether Mr McGuinness is or has been a member of the IRA?"
He replied: "It was my practice throughout my political career not to invite myself or not to interest myself in issues that were outside my field of activity.
"I was involved in Sinn Féin and I simply did not want to know that information because it was dangerous information."
The inquiry resumes at 9.30 a.m. tomorrow.
PA