5.11.03

IOL: Adams joins McGuinness at Bloody Sunday inquiry

Adams joins McGuinness at Bloody Sunday inquiry
05/11/2003 - 09:16:06

Martin McGuinness has been accompanied by Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams as he arrived at the Guildhall in Derry for day two of his evidence at the Bloody Sunday inquiry.

The self-confessed IRA commander was facing a tough grilling from lawyers representing the soldiers about his activities on the day that 13 unarmed civilians were shot dead by members of the Parachute Regiment.

The Sinn Féin MP is under intense pressure from the Saville Inquiry to reveal the locations of IRA safe houses used on Bloody Sunday after being heavily criticised yesterday for refusing to disclose them.

He resisted all attempts by lawyers at the Inquiry yesterday to find out where Provisional guns were stored, claiming he was bound by a republican “code of honour”.

Mr McGuinness made his way to the Guildhall through the Bogside past murals depicting the events of January 30, 1972.

Outside the Guildhall Mr Adams said he was there in solidarity with the families and his party colleague Mr McGuinness.

He said: “It (Bloody Sunday) was a watershed event in our recent history, not least for the families.”

He added that there had been many attempts to make out that the victims were guilty but Mr McGuinness’s evidence should refute this.

During yesterday’s hearing Mr McGuinness refused to reveal details about IRA arms dumps, provoking a response from Inquiry chairman Lord Saville that he could be accused of having something to hide.

Mr Adams, commenting on yesterday’s events, spoke of “the total absurdity of questions about the whereabouts of IRA dumps when clearly the weapons that were used were British Army weapons.

“The weapons which killed people were in the hands of British soldiers.”

He added that there should be no confusion about who had done the killing on Bloody Sunday.

“Everyone in the free world knows what happened here. It’s up to the British state to own up.”

Mr Adams added that there was a duty on republicans to come forward and do what Mr McGuinness had done before the Inquiry.




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