SINN Féin MLA Raymond McCartney has described the complaint made by the DUP MP Gregory Campbell to the Police Ombudsman to ask why the PSNI had not questioned Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness as a “stunt”.
The East Derry MP complained to the ombudsman after claiming the PSNI refused to say whether or not they planned to question Mr McGuinness.
Mr Campbell said that the Sinn Fein Foyle MLA should be interviewed as part of the Bloody Sunday investigation after Lord Saville said Mr McGuinness was “probably” carrying a Thompson sub-machine gun on the day. Mr McGuinness denies this.
The Police Ombudsman has confirmed that a complaint has been received but refused to give any further details.
It is not clear if the office intends to take any action.
Mr Campbell said that if the police do not question Martin McGuinness it will be a “dereliction of duty”.
“The same report that concluded that the soldiers had some questions to answer also concluded that Martin McGuinness had a sub-machine gun,” said the East Londonderry MP.
“Nobody seriously believes he was using it to plant tomatoes. He had a sub-machine gun so what was he doing with it? The police need to question him about that.
East Derry MP Gregory Campbell
“It is now the police ombudsman’s job to establish why they intend not to question him and if necessary, to say they should.
“It’s not a big ask in the interest of fairness,” added Mr Campbell.
Raymond McCartney, Sinn Fein’s Foyle MLA, said of the complaint: “It is only aimed to distract from the fact that 14 innocent civilians were murdered by the British Parachute regiment and 13 others injured on that day”.
“Mr Campbell would be better served using his influence to ensure the British soldiers and those who commanded them assist, in full, the PSNI investigation.”
