SF Court decision criticised by republican group

It's issued a statement to The Anglo-Celt.

Sinn Féin has been described as “another manifestation of Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael” after it voted to drop its opposition to the Special Criminal Court.

Republican Sinn Féin, a hardline republican group, issued a highly critical statement after the decision made at the party’s Árd Fheis at the weekend.

Sinn Féin has in the past been critical of the Special Criminal Court, which was set up during The Troubles to prevent jury intimidation. A three judge court instead hears evidence in terrorism and some gangland cases.

At the party event at the weekend, Sinn Féin decided to drop its opposition to the court, which often became a talking point during election campaigns. The move is seen as an attempt to make the party more palatable to some voters.

However, Republican Sinn Féin - which is widely seen as the political wing of the continuity IRA - has issued a scathing statement to The Anglo-Celt.

“It is a clear indication that they are preparing to go into government in the Twenty-Six Counties and attempting to appease the mainstream media by distancing themselves from their past.”

The group hit out at the decision and said Sinn Féin no longer lives up to the republican ideals it was founded on:

“We in Sinn Féin Poblachtach call on the Provisionals to drop the Sinn Féin name! It is clear they want to distance themselves from the courageous actions of the volunteers of Ireland and what better way to do so than dropping the name of Sinn Féin which they have dragged through the mud!”