A SINN FEIN member, Mr Martin McGuinness, has accused the British government of having double standards in its attitude towards loyalist parties and Sinn Fein.
While loyalist paramilitaries had killed a Catholic father of 10, Mr John Slane, in west Belfast a fortnight ago, and British soldiers had shot and seriously - wounded a man in Coalisland, Co Tyrone, the British prime minister had coupled indifference to these incidents with "vitriolic attacks" on Sinn Fein.
"John Major has not been serious about peace in Ireland ... He erected constant obstacles to inclusive and credible negotiations and singlehandedly undermined the efforts for peace by placing his own self interest at Westminster above the desire for peace."