THE NORTH’S Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has offered to meet relatives of those killed and injured in the 1972 Claudy bombing.
He also said Sinn Féin would attend an international, independent truth commission which should be set up to deal with the the aftermath of the Troubles.
This follows his revelation that he met Fr James Chesney in contradiction to an earlier claim that he never met the priest who was a suspect in the atrocity.
Mr McGuinness said he had forgotten he had gone to meet the priest at Fr Chesney’s request shortly before his death in 1980. He said he was reminded of the meeting by a friend but denied he discussed with him the Claudy bombing which killed nine. He insisted that while he knew of the priest’s republican views he had no knowledge of the suspicions police had about Fr Chesney.
The police ombudsman reported last month that, following talks between the Catholic Church, the RUC and Northern Ireland Office, Fr Chesney was moved from Co Derry to Donegal despite being suspected of involvement. Fr Chesney was never questioned about the bombings.
Mr McGuinness said he doubted claims that the IRA was involved in bombing Claudy and said he had no idea who was responsible.
Some relatives of the dead as well as the SDLP and unionists said Mr McGuinness’s position lacked credibility.
In interviews yesterday, Mr McGuinness said he had voluntarily corrected his earlier claim that he had not met Fr Chesney. “It was an omission on my part and it was a mistake,” he said.
He also said that, as a 22-year-old IRA member in Derry city, he had gone to Dublin to protest against the bombing. However he was told by two senior and unnamed IRA figures that the organisation was not involved in the no-warning bombing.
Mr McGuinness also said that, like former Bishop of Derry Edward Daly, he was critical of the police ombudsman’s report.
“People need to question who put these allegations [against Fr Chesney] into the public domain, the same people who wouldn’t put the names of the British soldiers who murdered 14 people in Derry into the public domain.”
Some relatives of those killed or injured in the Claudy attack said they would be prepared to meet Mr McGuinness, others said there was no point.
Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey said: “If we cannot guarantee absolute transparency from political figures at the very head of government, then what hope is there for truth from anyone else?” SDLP leader Margaret Ritchie said doubts would remain about key incidents of the Troubles until the legacy of the conflict was addressed comprehensively.
First Minister and DUP leader Peter Robinson said an IRA code of confidentiality would prevent republicans such as the Deputy First Minister from giving full details of IRA activities and personnel. “That’s why in my view the events in and around Claudy will not come from that source.”
However Mr McGuinness told RTÉ last night that Sinn Féin would be prepared to go to a future independent and international truth commission.
“In the context of the establishment of an independent, international tribunal of inquiry let us go to such a body and let’s see what happens. Let us see in the aftermath of the establishment of that how the different contributors to the conflict that existed in the North of Ireland over three decades will deal with those issues.”