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| Kevin McGuigan murder: Provisional IRA still exists, says PSNI chief | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland has said the Provisional IRA still exists. | |
| George Hamilton added that some of its members were involved in the murder of ex-IRA man Kevin McGuigan Sr last week. | |
| But he said there is no evidence at this stage that the killing was sanctioned by the organisation. | |
| And the police assessment, he said, is that the Provisional IRA remains committed to politics and is not engaged in terrorism. | |
| Mr McGuigan Sr, 53, died after he was shot at his home in east Belfast last week. | |
| The main unionist and nationalist parties met with Mr Hamilton on Saturday to discuss the killing. | |
| Senior Sinn Féin member Gerry Kelly said the chief constable needed to "follow the evidence". | Senior Sinn Féin member Gerry Kelly said the chief constable needed to "follow the evidence". |
| He added that his party would support the investigation. | He added that his party would support the investigation. |
| Committed | Committed |
| On Friday, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said the IRA was not involved in the murder. | On Friday, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said the IRA was not involved in the murder. |
| Mr Kelly said the chief constable had agreed that Sinn Féin is in support of the police. | Mr Kelly said the chief constable had agreed that Sinn Féin is in support of the police. |
| "We rejected any suggestion the IRA was involved in the killing of Kevin McGuigan. The IRA stood down over 10 years ago," the North Belfast MLA said. | "We rejected any suggestion the IRA was involved in the killing of Kevin McGuigan. The IRA stood down over 10 years ago," the North Belfast MLA said. |
| "Sinn Féin's commitment to peaceful and democratic progress is beyond question." | "Sinn Féin's commitment to peaceful and democratic progress is beyond question." |
| He added that the party had raised with Mr Hamilton "concerns about a number of speculative and unhelpful comments made recently". | He added that the party had raised with Mr Hamilton "concerns about a number of speculative and unhelpful comments made recently". |
| The DUP's Gregory Campbell said his party would be meeting with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers about the alleged role of IRA members in the killing. | |
| He added that there was no surprise among his party at the suggestions of IRA involvement. | |
| Implication | |
| The Ulster Unionist Party also met with Mr Hamilton on Saturday. | The Ulster Unionist Party also met with Mr Hamilton on Saturday. |
| Party leader Mike Nesbitt said afterwards it was "clear the IRA still exists". | Party leader Mike Nesbitt said afterwards it was "clear the IRA still exists". |
| He said Sinn Féin's credibility was "in tatters" and that it needed to "accept some responsibility" for Mr McGuigan Sr's killing. | He said Sinn Féin's credibility was "in tatters" and that it needed to "accept some responsibility" for Mr McGuigan Sr's killing. |
| "They continue to insult our intelligence by claiming no IRA involvement in this latest murder," Mr Nesbitt said. | "They continue to insult our intelligence by claiming no IRA involvement in this latest murder," Mr Nesbitt said. |
| "The nature of the political implications remains open as the police investigation progresses, but Sinn Féin are endangering the political process by refusing to come clean about the IRA." | "The nature of the political implications remains open as the police investigation progresses, but Sinn Féin are endangering the political process by refusing to come clean about the IRA." |
| After the SDLP's meeting with the chief constable, its leader Alasdair McDonnell said the "skeleton" of the IRA remains in existence. | After the SDLP's meeting with the chief constable, its leader Alasdair McDonnell said the "skeleton" of the IRA remains in existence. |
| But he said the evidence was not there to collapse the assembly. | But he said the evidence was not there to collapse the assembly. |
| That came in response to comments from First Minister Peter Robinson, who said he would discuss the prospect of excluding Sinn Féin from the executive with other Northern Ireland parties. | That came in response to comments from First Minister Peter Robinson, who said he would discuss the prospect of excluding Sinn Féin from the executive with other Northern Ireland parties. |