McGuinness in police probe

Martin McGuinness, Northern Ireland's Deputy First Minister, faced calls last night for a formal investigation into his attendance at an event commemorating IRA terrorists. Politicians and groups representing victims of violence in Northern Ireland are calling for his investigation by the Northern Ireland Assembly's Commissioner for Standards.

The complaints centre on his role as the main speaker at the unveiling of a monument to IRA men, which took place at Ti Chulainn Centre, in Mullaghbawn, after an apparently illegal Republican march in South Armagh. The Parades Commission was not notified of the march, which took place last October and is currently under investigation by police.

The day before the march, scores of children attended a youth day at the centre where they dressed as terrorists and posed with machine guns.

William Frazer from Families Acting for Innocent Relatives has made a formal complaint to the Commissioner for Standards. Mr Frazer said: "How do we expect people to uphold the law if this is the type of example being set by our Deputy First Minister?"

A Sinn Fein spokesman said: "It's a nonsense. This is all about electioneering."