SDLP and Sinn Fein row over 'on the runs'

Moves to allow 'on the run' terrorists to return to Ulster have sparked a furious row between the SDLP and Sinn Fein.

The nationalist party said on Thursday that Sinn Fein had accepted proposals that would mean "state killers getting away with it".

But republicans hit back, accusing the SDLP of telling "lies" about its position.

SDLP MLA Alex Attwood said Sinn Fein and the government had agreed that the amnesty would apply to "scheduled offences" that included any offences committed by British soldiers.

"State killings in Northern Ireland are scheduled offences," said Attwood.

"So when Sinn Fein signed up to anybody who committed any scheduled offence before 1998 being able to skip jail, they accepted state killers getting away with it - now and in the future.

"They accepted this in black and white in the Hillsborough side deal."

But Sinn Fein MP Conor Murphy said the claim was "an absolute lie".

"The issue of British state violence and those involved in it had no part of these discussions," he said.

"The British government have unilaterally taken a decision to attach the provisions for Crown forces onto this Bill, a fact acknowledged by all parties including the two governments.

"We are absolutely opposed to this approach."