I do not regard punishment beatings as trivial and I couldn't trivialise them if I wanted. All I have done is confess my lack of knowledge. No shortage of pub gossip, needless to say, and sometimes I have seen the same pub gossip and specualtion reported by journalists as simple fact. And I apologise for repeating myself but there is little point in condemning the IRA for what you think they might do. For example, I have little doubt that Loyalists will continue to murder Roman Catholics (and each other) but I have no way of proving it or expecting anyone to accept my opinions as some kind of evidence.

As for McGuinness, I'm sorry if my earlier remarks lacked clarity. He says that he is not now a member of the IRA. I don't think he has claimed that he was never a member. If I'm wrong I'm sure you will be able to show me where. Given that I can only repeat what I said before.

"Martin McGuinness has admitted that he was a member of the IRA and never claimed that he wasn't. Or are you claiming that he is still a member? I have no way of knowing this one way or the other. If you want to insist that he is, that's all right but don't expect people to accept it as fact just because you really, really believe it."