The Rev Ian Paisley has been criticised following his naming of 20 people under parliamentary privilege in Westminster on Wednesday who he alleged were involved in republican paramilitary violence.
The Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon, said yesterday that the DUP leader had acted with "the grossest irresponsibility", adding that it was "inconceivable" that some of those named had any involvement in paramilitary activity.
"Apart from the terrible damage he has done to the reputation and standing of these individuals, he has put their lives, and the lives of their families, at risk."
One named man challenged Dr Paisley to repeat the allegation that he had masterminded the 1976 Kingsmill massacre in which 10 Protestant men were shot dead. He said he would sue Dr Paisley if the comments were repeated outside the House of Commons. The father of seven also denied ever being a member of a paramilitary organisation and said Dr Paisley had "got it wrong".
The Sinn Fein president, Mr Gerry Adams, accused Dr Paisley of "trampling" on the human and civil rights of the people he named. He said an RUC dossier leaked to Dr Paisley, which allegedly included some of the names, amounted to "collusion". The named people had been "set-up" as potential targets for loyalist death squads.
Dr Paisley stood by his statement last night and said he would continue to oppose the British government's policy which permitted "known gunmen and paramilitaries" to walk the streets "with impunity".
The brother of Mr Pat Finucane, the Belfast solicitor who was shot shortly after claims were made in the House of Commons that some solicitors were sympathetic to republicans, said there should be an investigation into how Dr Paisley got possession of the document. Mr Martin Finucane called on the RUC to internally investigate the matter.
An RUC spokesman said last night that an investigation had begun into the "authenticity" of the alleged documents.
The Sinn Fein spokeswoman on justice and policing, Ms Bairbre de Brun, said she intended to raise urgently the apparent provision of RUC files to Dr Paisley with the Patten Commission on Policing.
The BBC also received criticism for broadcasting Dr Paisley's speech. Mr Adams described it as a disgraceful action, which denied those named any due legal process. Mr Mallon said the broadcast was a breach of ethical standards.
An SDLP Assembly member for West Belfast, Mr Alex Attwood, said the politics of "name and shame" was not healthy.
The BBC said last night that statements made by politicians in the House of Commons were a matter of public record.