Dallat angered by 'dangerous chit-chat'

A senior SDLP member has accused the deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party of engaging in dangerous "chit-chat" over…

A senior SDLP member has accused the deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party of engaging in dangerous "chit-chat" over the festive season.

Mr John Dallat said Mr Peter Robinson had claimed the SDLP were conspicuously noticeable by their relative silence towards IRA violence through the darkest days of the troubles.

The SDLP East Derry MLA said: "I was astounded to learn that Mr Robinson is claiming that the DUP has always opposed loyalist violence while the SDLP has been less than forthright `through the darkest days of the troubles when police officers and soldiers were being murdered by the IRA'.

"These are precisely the type of utterances loyalist paramilitaries like to read about because it encourages them to beef up their list of legitimate targets which at this stage includes SDLP politicians who, unlike Mr Robinson, don't have armoured cars or round-the-clock bodyguards."

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He added: "To suggest the SDLP were less than vocal about the murder of people who were policemen or soldiers is disgraceful and suggests that in some perverted way they endorsed such activity.

"Nothing could be further from the truth because the SDLP has always believed that murder was evil and a major obstacle to permanent peace on this island."

PA