Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd has said there was a difference between the IRA's bombing of Manchester and the suicide attack carried out by Salman Abedi.

Sinn Fein's John O'Dowd has said the conflict in Ireland was the difference between the IRA's bombing of Manchester in 1996 and last week's suicide bombing by Salman Abedi

The former Education Minister also refused to condemn the planting of a 3,300lb truck bomb in the city centre one Saturday morning 21 years ago.

The republican party spokesman was interviewed on the BBC Stephen Nolan show on Monday morning on his party's Westminster General Election campaign.

He was asked about an article in the Belfast Telegraph which asked Sinn Fein leader Michelle O'Neill "when it became unacceptable to bomb Manchester?".

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Asked if he would condemn the IRA's attack in Manchester in 1996, the Upper Bann MLA said: "I'm not getting into that."

The political context of the conflict on the island of Ireland is the difference - that's the difference. The political context of the peace process of the past 20 years - that's the difference. John O'Dowd

He said it was "disgraceful" that the horror of last week was being used as a "political battering ram on this island and in the rest of the UK" against his party and Labour.

Asked what the difference was between the two attacks that he could condemn one and not the other, he said: "There is a difference, there was a conflict going on at the time that included many different players.

"If Sinn Fein can't condemn Manchester last week. No one can."

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Mr O'Dowd added: "Theresa May launched attacks in recent weeks and months killing men women and children. Donald Trump launched attacks in recent weeks and months killing men women and children - have they the right to condemn Manchester?"

Because you have political drive to do something - doesn't make it right. John O'Dowd

He went on: "The IRA put forward an argument for their campaign. I'm not a spokesperson for the IRA. I wasn't a spokesperson for the IRA when they were active and I am not a spokesperson for the IRA now."

"I am putting it in context. The IRA's bombing of Manchester did not happen in isolation. There are political parties using Manchester bombing as opportunity to attack Sinn Fein and the Labour party in some way to divert political attention from other elements of the election campaign.

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The MLA said it was an "uncomfortable reality" for every political leader in Western Europe to come up with a difference between Abedi's suicide attack on a music concert filled with young girls and the planting of a bomb in a shopping centre on a Saturday morning.

"None of them can stand back and say 'let he who is without sin thrown the first stone'."

Targeting of innocent men, women and children is disgusting. It is the definition of terrorism. John O'Dowd

On why he would condemn the last week's Manchester bomb, he added: "The deliberate targeting of innocent men, women and children is disgusting. It is the definition of terrorism and I have no sympathy with or allegiance to, or understanding of so-called ISIS, its predecessors Al-Qaeda or anyone else that goes out and deliberately targets men women and children"

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Members of the public observe a national minute's silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham lays flowers after a minute's silence in St Ann's Square, Manchester, to remember the victims of the terror attack in the city earlier this week. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 25, 2017. See PA story POLICE Explosion. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire PA MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Members of the public observe a national minute's silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack, on May 25, 2017 in Manchester, England. An explosion occurred at Manchester Arena on the evening of May 22 as concert goers were leaving the venue after Ariana Grande had performed. Greater Manchester Police are treating the explosion as a terrorist attack and have confirmed 22 fatalities and 59 injured. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Members of the public observe a national minute's silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack, on May 25, 2017 in Manchester, England. An explosion occurred at Manchester Arena on the evening of May 22 as concert goers were leaving the venue after Ariana Grande had performed. Greater Manchester Police are treating the explosion as a terrorist attack and have confirmed 22 fatalities and 59 injured. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Members of the public observe a national minute's silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack, on May 25, 2017 in Manchester, England. An explosion occurred at Manchester Arena on the evening of May 22 as concert goers were leaving the venue after Ariana Grande had performed. Greater Manchester Police are treating the explosion as a terrorist attack and have confirmed 22 fatalities and 59 injured. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn observes a minute's silence with members of Islington Fire Brigade in London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 25, 2017. See PA story POLICE Explosion. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire PA MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Members of the public observe a national minute's silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack, on May 25, 2017 in Manchester, England. An explosion occurred at Manchester Arena on the evening of May 22 as concert goers were leaving the venue after Ariana Grande had performed. Greater Manchester Police are treating the explosion as a terrorist attack and have confirmed 22 fatalities and 59 injured. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Members of the public observe a national minute's silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack, on May 25, 2017 in Manchester, England. An explosion occurred at Manchester Arena on the evening of May 22 as concert goers were leaving the venue after Ariana Grande had performed. Greater Manchester Police are treating the explosion as a terrorist attack and have confirmed 22 fatalities and 59 injured. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Members of the public observe a national minute's silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack, on May 25, 2017 in Manchester, England. An explosion occurred at Manchester Arena on the evening of May 22 as concert goers were leaving the venue after Ariana Grande had performed. Greater Manchester Police are treating the explosion as a terrorist attack and have confirmed 22 fatalities and 59 injured. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 25: People observe a minute silence in memory of the victims of the Manchester attack, on May 25, 2017 in in Parliament Square, London, England. People around the country stopped at eleven o'clock to observe one minute of silence to remember the 22 people killed by the attack at an Ariana Grande concert on Monday. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images) Getty Images MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Members of the public observe a national minute's silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack, on May 25, 2017 in Manchester, England. An explosion occurred at Manchester Arena on the evening of May 22 as concert goers were leaving the venue after Ariana Grande had performed. Greater Manchester Police are treating the explosion as a terrorist attack and have confirmed 22 fatalities and 59 injured. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 25: People sit in Parliament Square as a minute silence is held in memory of the victims of the Manchester attack, on May 25, 2017 in in Parliament Square, London, England. People around the country stopped at eleven o'clock to observe one minute of silence to remember the 22 people killed by the attack at an Ariana Grande concert on Monday. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images) Getty Images People observe a minute's silence in St Ann's Square, Manchester, to remember the victims of the terror attack in the city earlier this week. Owen Humphreys/PA Wire PA People stop to observe a minute's silence in St Ann's Square gathered around the tributes, in central Manchester, northwest England, on May 25, 2017, as a mark of respect to the victims of the May 22 terror attack at the Manchester Arena. Police said they arrested two men Thursday in the Manchester area in connection with the deadly bombing of an Ariana Grande pop concert, while a detained woman was released without charges. Britain has raised its terror alert to the maximum level and ordered troops to protect strategic sites after 22 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack on a Manchester pop concert. / AFP PHOTO / Ben STANSALLBEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images AFP/Getty Images People observe a minute's silence in St Ann's Square, Manchester, to remember the victims of the terror attack in the city earlier this week. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 25, 2017. See PA story POLICE Explosion. Photo credit should read: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire PA MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Members of the public observe a national minute's silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack, on May 25, 2017 in Manchester, England. An explosion occurred at Manchester Arena on the evening of May 22 as concert goers were leaving the venue after Ariana Grande had performed. Greater Manchester Police are treating the explosion as a terrorist attack and have confirmed 22 fatalities and 59 injured. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Members of the public observe a national minute's silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack, on May 25, 2017 in Manchester, England. An explosion occurred at Manchester Arena on the evening of May 22 as concert goers were leaving the venue after Ariana Grande had performed. Greater Manchester Police are treating the explosion as a terrorist attack and have confirmed 22 fatalities and 59 injured. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Getty Images LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Visitors to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show pause to observe a minute silence for the victims of the Manchester Arena terror attack on May 25, 2017 in London, England. 22 people, including children were killed and dozens injured in an suicide bomb attack during an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena on May 22nd. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Getty Images LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Visitors to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show pause to observe a minute silence for the victims of the Manchester Arena terror attack on May 25, 2017 in London, England. 22 people, including children were killed and dozens injured in an suicide bomb attack during an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena on May 22nd. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Getty Images LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Visitors to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show pause to observe a minute silence for the victims of the Manchester Arena terror attack on May 25, 2017 in London, England. 22 people, including children were killed and dozens injured in an suicide bomb attack during an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena on May 22nd. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Getty Images MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Residents of Lindum Stree, Moss Side observe a minutes silence in memory of the victims of the Manchester bomb attack on May 25, 2017 in Manchester, England. An explosion occurred at Manchester Arena on the evening of May 22 as concert goers were leaving the venue after Ariana Grande had performed. Greater Manchester Police are treating the explosion as a terrorist attack and have confirmed 22 fatalities and 59 injured. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Getty Images Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (third right back) joins fire fighters at Islington Fire Station, north London, as he observes a minute's silence to remember the victims of the Manchester terror attack. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday May 25, 2017. See PA story POLICE Explosion. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire PA A moments silence is held at Belfast City Hall in memory of those who died at the Manchester Arena bombing. May 25th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A moments silence is held at Belfast City Hall in memory of those who died at the Manchester Arena bombing. May 25th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A moments silence is held at Belfast City Hall in memory of those who died at the Manchester Arena bombing. May 25th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A moments silence is held at Belfast City Hall in memory of those who died at the Manchester Arena bombing. May 25th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A moments silence is held at Belfast City Hall in memory of those who died at the Manchester Arena bombing. May 25th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A moments silence is held at Belfast City Hall in memory of those who died at the Manchester Arena bombing. May 25th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A moments silence is held at Belfast City Hall in memory of those who died at the Manchester Arena bombing. May 25th 2017 (Photo - Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

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Whatsapp Members of the public observe a national minute's silence in remembrance of all those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

He said just because those that carry out the bombing thought they were trying to achieve a political objective "did not make it right".

Asked if he thought violence for a political means was justified he added: "The circumstances which create violence for political means should never happen and when it does happen, it is the role of people like me, not combatants, to work a political way through those things.

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During the wide-ranging interview, Mr O'Dowd also ruled out his party going into government with Arlene Foster as First Minister while the RHI inquiry continues its work and said that Donald Tump's presidency and Brexit had meant he could not put a date on the devolution of corporation tax.

"So many different factors in play, so many unknowns no one can answer that question," he said.

"The key question is, is it affordable? And we have to go through all those other factors that have come into play since Martin McGuinness and Arlene Foster first announced it."

Belfast Telegraph