Sinn Fein and IRA dissembling on killing?

The Houston Chronicle is none too keen on what it sees as a dissembling Republican movement. It has the McCartney story thus:

Initially, the IRA and its political associates disclaimed any role in or knowledge of McCartney’s killing, even as it quietly promised the usual treatment (death) for any of the 70 or so people in the bar who might have been thinking about speaking up. It has since developed that a Sinn Fein candidate was in the pub, although she initially denied it and says she saw nothing.

When mounting evidence made its denials of involvement untenable, the IRA, reverting to form, calmly offered to murder at least some of its members who had taken part. Even after years of IRA’s violent outrages, politicians in Britain and Ireland were left virtually speechless. The reaction has properly washed across the Atlantic.

It notes Adams’ warning in New York that the IRA should be allowed a dignified exit:

Adams, with his own long history of association with the IRA, can harbor any fantasy he likes about how the murderous gang should depart — just so long as it goes quickly. That point should be made clear to Adams in a private meeting still scheduled for today at the State Department with Mitchell B. Reiss, Bush’s special envoy on Northern Ireland. The rationale for the meeting is that lines of communication need to remain open. Fair enough. So long as Adams gets the right message to take home and acts on it once he is there.

Mick Fealty

Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty