Mr Gerry Adams has dismissed accusations he planned and sanctioned an IRA bombing that killed 12 people.
Speaking under privilege in the House of Commons in London last night, Strangford Democratic Unionist MP Mrs Iris Robinson said Mr Adams had sanctioned and approved the attack on the La Mon House Hotel on the outskirts of Belfast in 1978.
Mr Adams dismissed the accusations as tactics to deflect attention from the Stevens Inquiry into loyalist collusion with security forces.
Mrs Robinson accused the British government of putting in government people who carried out terrorist atrocities.
"More than that, the distinct possibility is that a candidate for one of the top government posts after the next election will be the man who was arrested by the police during their investigation into this bombing and who is known to have control over the team responsible for this outrage and carnage".
Mr Adams was questioned by police investigating the bombing at the time but was not charged. Mr Adams last night denied having any part in the La Mon bombing.
"There is no truth whatever in the accusation made by (Mrs) Robinson," he said.
"It is no coincidence that on the day the Stevens Inquiry announced the most important development in recent years into the investigation of collusion, and in particular of Pat Finucane's death, Robinson engages in this piece of theatrics".