Maginnis attacks Sinn Fein "weasel words" on Wilmslow

THE bombing in Wilmslow was the IRA's way of reiterating that, in the words of Gerry Adams, it had not gone away, the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) security spokesman, Mr Ken Maginnis, said yesterday.

Mr Maginnis accused Mr Martin McGuinness of Sinn Fein of uttering "weasel words" in his response to the bombing when he blamed the British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, for the collapse of the peace process.

The MP for Fermanagh South Tyrone said he believed the attack van designed to avoid death or injury, in order not to lose the potential support of marginal Sinn Fein supports.

"The bombing was cleverly balanced, and may be part of a strategy where the IRA is moving to a tactical or bogus ceasefire ahead of the election," he added. However, he predicted, there, could, be future low level attacks in Britain before that.

Mr Maginnis said that whatever about the initial motivation of the SDLP leader, Mr John Hume, he should now realise there was nothing to be gained in engaging with the Sinn Fein president, Mr Adams.

"He should know that neither he, nor John Bruton, for Bertie Ahern, nor President Clinton will have the slightest effect on an organisation that is so inextricably wedded to violence," he said.

Mr Maginnis said that the attacks also illustrated how naive and ill advised was the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) in Northern Ireland in holding meetings with Sinn Fein on matters of economic concern.

These encounters smacked of "treachery, arrogance and naivety" on the part of the CBI, he said.

Mr Ian Paisley jnr, of the DUP, said it was quite clear from the Wilmslow bombing that Sinn Fein and the IRA were still married to the policy of the ballot box and the Armalite.

The bombs also exposed the futility of Mr Hume maintaining his contact with Mr Adams, he added. Mr Hume's continuing communication with the Sinn Fein leader was serving only to "drive a wedge between the Protestant and Catholic communities," Mr Paisley said.