Sinn Fein President's death threat 'called off'

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has today been told that a threat on his life by dissident republicans had been withdrawn.

It is understood that dissidents had planned to shoot the party leader, however the attack has since been scrapped due to an increase on his personal security.

The threats came in the run up to the November 24 deadline, when Sinn Fein's Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness was due to be nominated for the position of Deputy First Minister, which would result in him having to swear allegiance to the PSNI.

This would mean that the party would have to change their policy on policing – something which hard-line republicans were deeply opposed to.

Speaking at Stormont earlier today, Gerry Adams said that he was taking the threats seriously, however believed that dissidents were using the issue of policing as an excuse to disrupt the current peace process.

He continued that he believed that the plans to shoot him had been deterred by increased security which was stepped up by Sinn Fein when they were warned of an possible attack.

Mr Adams added: "We will not be deflected from what we think is the right thing to do."

Last month, the PSNI warned Sinn Fein that they had received a warning that senior Sinn Fein members- Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and Gerry Kelly were facing attack from hard-line republicans.

(EF)