McGuinness: “We can’t have a half-baked approach…”

Whilst the Northern Ireland deputy First Minister, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness, has been urging co-operation with the police investigation of the murder of David Black, his party colleague Gerry Kelly has complained of “politically motivated” charges against Padraic Wilson – relating to the aftermath of the 2005 murder of Robert McCartney.  From the UTV report

Sinn Féin MLAs Gerry Kelly and Sue Ramsey were among party members in the public gallery during the court case.

Mr Kelly has demanded the immediate release of Padraic Wilson, calling the charge against him “bizarre”.

He said: “It is my firm view that these charges are politically motivated and driven by an old agenda within the PSNI fighting against policing change.”

“Those behind this agenda need to be removed from policing before they inflict further damage on the peace process. This is not about bringing the killers of Robert McCartney to justice. It is in fact the opposite.”

It’s not the only recent case in which similar charges have been brought against Sinn Fein’s “director of international affairs”, but I don’t recall Gerry Kelly issuing a statement in that case.

And, despite Sinn Féin’s protests, if the charges are correct – that Padraic Wilson was a member of the Provisional IRA army council at the time – then he would be in a position to know who the PIRA mistakenly offered to shoot in 2005 for being “directly involved in the killing of Robert McCartney” – after their own “internal disciplinary proceedings” – and why.

[Due process? – Ed]  Indeed.