Statement by TUV East Antrim Assembly candidate Ruth Wilson:

“Speculation that experienced Provisional IRA bomb-makers had a hand in Saturday’s tragic events should act as a wakeup call to us all.

“The honeyed words of Adams and McGuinness really do need to be taken with a large pinch of salt given that security sources believe that the experience in making such a device could only have been gained within the ranks of the Provisional IRA. Remember – under car bombs were a trademark of the IRA’s campaign.

“Not only that but it appears that PIRA explosives may have been used. Security sources are on record as saying that old stocks of IRA Semtex have been used in attacks since 2009.

“All this raises two very logical questions. Given that many so-called dissidents are obviously former IRA personnel using IRA hardware why are so-called mainstream Republicans not handing their details to the PSNI? Secondly, given that the IRA supposedly decommissioned all its weapons why is IRA explosive still being used in attacks on the security forces?

“It’s high time we had some answers to these questions, regardless of how uncomfortable they may be for the political process.”