Former Sinn Féin deputy first minister Martin McGuinness was deeply opposed to the 1981 hunger strike, an ex-British agent has claimed.
Ex-MI5 and British army agent Willie Carlin said the Derry republican leader “detested the hunger strike” and was determined that no IRA members from his home city would die in it.
Mr Carlin was speaking to the Irish News after the publication of his new book 'Thatcher's Spy: my life as an MI5 agent inside Sinn Féin.'
A total of ten IRA and INLA members from across the north died as part of a protest for political status in the H-Blocks.
READ MORE:
- Martin McGuinness 'spoke to British agent Willie Carlin before his death'
- Willie Carlin feels responsible for Joanne Mathers killing
- IRA tip-off led to arrest of INLA man behind Droppin' Well bomb, former British agent claims
Mr Carlin, who worked closely with Mr McGuinness at the time, said that the former deputy first minister would not allow any IRA prisoners from Derry join the fast, which ran for seven months.
The three INLA prisoners who died were all from Co Derry, with two, Patsy O’Hara and Mickey Devine, coming from the city.
“Martin hated the hunger strike," Mr Carlin said.
"He detested the hunger strike.
“He never let anybody from Derry go on it.
“(He) wouldn’t allow it.
“He sent word into them, no-one step out of line.”
Mr Carlin claims that while IRA members from the city were not allowed to refuse food, they were allowed to participate in protests.
“He allowed them to protest, he allowed them - if you (would) like to support others on the hunger strike, but no deaths.
“Absolutely no dead.”
READ MORE:
- Spy questions timing of the death of notorious agent Brian Nelson
- Stakeknife 'saved life' of FRU agent Willie Carlin
