The DUP has accused Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams of double standards after he called for information about a Co Armagh man who disappeared 25 years ago. Charlie Armstrong (55) disappeared on August 16th, 1981, after leaving his Crossmaglen home to drive a pensioner to Mass.
It was believed that republicans had abducted and murdered the father-of-five though the IRA has denied responsibility. Mr Adams called for anyone with information about Mr Armstrong or Gerard Evans (24), also from Crossmaglen, who disappeared in 1979, to come forward.
But DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson accused Mr Adams of "double standards". "I have to say there is a question of double standards. The IRA have information about at least five people who they have killed and buried, and have they given all that information to the police?"
Mr Adams said he met Mr Armstrong's family before the 25th anniversary of his disappearance. He says his party is continuing to work "to secure the return of the remains of those who were killed and secretly buried by the IRA".
Kathleen Armstrong said she would welcome "anyone's help" to find her husband's remains. "I never knew who was behind it and I still don't know. We are looking to everybody for help," she said. Neither Mr Armstrong nor Mr Evans was included on the IRA's list of nine disappeared, five of whose remains have not been found.
Searches for Mr Armstrong's remains in north Monaghan in 2002 and 2003 were unsuccessful.
Mr Adams said the 25 years since Mr Armstrong's disappearance had been a "long, difficult and emotional time for his family".
SDLP Assembly member Dominic Bradley called on the IRA to end the suffering of the families of the disappeared. "Paramilitaries took their lives, they took their bodies and now they must not continue to take away the right for Christian burials," he said.