Spokesperson Kevin McQuillan condemned the murders and went on to say "There is a history of this Statelet between rabble rousing rhetoric and sectarian slaughter dating back to the "Malvern Street murders" and beyond. Recent rantings of the "Demented Doctor" Paisley and company about Britain going soft on Republicans and the necessity of a military offensive, has resulted, as expected, in the slaughter witnessed in Ardboe."

Mr. McQuillan then pointed to the reaction of Unionist politicians to the murders. "So far Unionist reaction to the murders has ranged from the Rev. Martin Smyth's confused comments, which strayed oft-times to justify last night's murders, to the "Vulture-type" position of the DUP MP for the area Rev. William McCrea who has refused to comment upon or condemn this atrocity. It is the IRSP's view that this is in the hope that one of the victims may be a Republican so that he can then account for the attack.

"These are the people who perpetuate sectarianism, they are able to do so only because of their veto over the future of this Island and its people, a veto illegally given to them by Britain. It is time for Britain to declare its intention to withdraw and remove the cause of division and strife in the North of Ireland."