Campbell blasts the Sinn Fein '˜hypocrisy'

Gregory Campbell has branded Sinn Fein's reaction to the Manchester bombing as 'hypocritical'.
Gregory Campbell.Gregory Campbell.
Gregory Campbell.

The DUP politician, who is contesting next week’s Westminster election in the East Derry constituency, likened last week’s atrocity to IRA attacks on Manchester in 1992 and 1996.

He said: “The Manchester bombing in 2017 was abhorrent and evil, just as the previous Manchester bombings by the IRA in 1992 and 1996 were abhorrent and evil.

“The hypocrisy of Sinn Fein is patently obvious in that their leader Michelle O’Neill can condemn the current bombing but can’t condemn the previous bombs.

“She can sign a book of condolences now but her predecessors, rather than offering condemnation, condoned the previous bombings.

“Are the innocent victims of 20 years ago any less innocent victims than those who were injured and killed last week?”

Mr Campbell said the Manchester atrocity has overshadowed the ongoing general election campaign.

“The murder of anyone is wrong, legally and morally, and wider society, including public representatives, have a duty to condemn these atrocities and assist, where we can, in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

“There will be security implications obviously for Northern Ireland and we all must do what we can in assisting the security services in the battle against these murderers. The general election is an exercise in the very basis of our democracy. The people speak, the people choose and they decide.

No amount of prevarication in the face of terror can be allowed to interfere in that most fundamental of our freedoms.”