Derry gun attack by dissidents

So-called dissident republicans are believed to be responsible for a gun attack in Derry City on Wednesday morning. Several civilian cars were sprayed with automatic gunfire during the attack. Sinn Féin MLA Raymond McCartney has called on these splinter groups to abandon armed actions and begin to articulate their position through a political strategy. McCartney said:

"This attack offers nothing for the creation of the new Ireland that republicans have striven for over many years.

Their campaign has no strategy to achieve a United Ireland and has no support within the vast majority of the republican base. In fact their strategy plays directly into the hands of British securocrats who oppose change and who use attacks like this to maintain the high level of military presence in the Six Counties. Although I understand that these people do not agree with our position I would call on them to abandon their military campaign and formulate their dissent through a political campaign."