Ulster Unionist Party Leader Robin Swann MLA has described the New IRA statement admitting responsibility for the murder of Lyra McKee as beneath contempt, and called for the group to be put permanently out of business.
Robin Swann MLA said:
“This statement is beneath contempt.
“The murder of Lyra McKee has brought a tidal wave of condemnation on the people responsible. They have been rejected by the very community they claim to be defending and they are shamed in the eyes of the world.
“Their ‘full and sincere apologies’ are of no use or comfort to anyone. And to try to imply that Lyra somehow contributed to her own death because she was ‘standing beside enemy forces’ shows their tenuous grip on reality.
“I doubt these fanatics’ pledge that they have instructed their untrained teenagers ‘to take the utmost care in future when engaging the enemy and put in place measures to help ensure this’ will provide much reassurance to anyone.
“This gang needs to be rejected by all. They then need to be rounded up and put behind bars and out of business. There should be no pandering to them or their so-called political representatives. For the sake of society here they must be closed down permanently.”