Sinn Féin and the IRA were under renewed pressure tonight following threats to burn down the homes of the family of murdered Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney.
PSNI officers visited Mr McCartney's sisters and his partner Bridgeen Hagans to tell them "criminal elements" were threatening to burn down their homes and the business one of them runs. The women believe they are being targeted by republicans for their campaign to bring their brother's killer to justice.
Mr McCartney was stabbed in a pub used by republicans and his family believes the IRA was involved in the murder, with one of them accusing Sinn Féin of being part of a cover-up.
Northern Ireland Office minister Angela Smith said the threats were "beneath contempt". She said she was shocked they could ever be made. She had admired the dignity of the campaign for justice mounted by the sisters.
New Northern Ireland Security Minister Shaun Woodward said he took the threats "extremely seriously". Mr Woodward was given details of the warnings issued to the McCartneys during his first security briefing with senior police officers.
He said: "People should be able to live in Northern Ireland without fear of intimidation. I fully support the family in everything they are doing and I fully support what the police are doing and I encourage anybody in Northern Ireland to come forward and help".
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams said he condemned the threats to the McCartneys but claimed they were not the work of republicans.
He said: "I want to deny that republicans are involved and I do that without any qualification whatsoever.
"Whatever the family may or may not believe or what they may or may not say, no republican is involved in any threat against this family." He said he was quite sure that if the PSNI believed republicans were responsible, they would have said so.
But Sammy Wilson, Democratic Unionist MP for East Antrim, rejected the denial saying Sinn Féin and the IRA had gone back to violence now that the election was over.
He said: "The Sinn Féin leopard has not changed its spots and its true colours are now being more clearly seen with the election out of the road."
PA