The IRA's offer to shoot those responsible for the murder of Robert McCartney was a mistake, Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness said yesterday.
Mr McGuinness also said that only the IRA could create the climate necessary to enable the killers to be brought to court.
In an interview with BBC Radio Foyle in Derry, Mr McGuinness said too many commentators had focused solely on the IRA's offer to the McCartney family to have those responsible for the murder shot.
"I think in doing that they do a huge disservice to everything else in the IRA statement. I think the statement does dispel absolutely the notion that the IRA would protect or cover up for those who perpetrated the murder of Robert McCartney.
"The IRA also go on further to make it absolutely clear that people should come forward and give information about this particular murder. Just as importantly, the statement makes it clear that anyone with any information should come forward with that information without any fear of repercussion from the IRA.
"That is vitally important as we focus on the most important element of the McCartney case, how do we provide truth and justice for the McCartney family?
"I certainly only want to be part of a process which will see them bring these people before the court and answer for the crimes they have participated in," he said.
Mr McGuinness said he would not apologise for the fact that the IRA saw itself as an army, as a military organisation with a code of conduct and discipline.
"Naturally I would not have wanted a statement from the IRA in which they have said they were prepared to shoot people.
"If I had any input into that, I would have certainly said that would have been a mistake. Unfortunately I did not have any input into that and I now have to deal with the consequences of that.
"But I am not going to let that one particular aspect of the statement overshadow what is a very powerful statement from the IRA in which they make it absolutely clear that they are dispelling any notions whatsoever that they would protect or cover up for those who perpetrated the murder of Robert McCartney."