Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson also agreed with murders during that period in a new BBC podcast, ‘Borderland – UK or a United Ireland’.
They were directly asked, do you think murder was justified?
Michelle Gildernew, a former Fermanagh-South Tyrone MP, said the Army had helped to spark violence.
She said: “I wish it had been avoided, but I think the British Army brought a war to our streets and the repercussions of that were as a result of what happened.
“But I also think that if we’re not talking about history, a few miles from where I live there was a bonfire (in Moygashel) with a boat full of migrants on it burned…”
Mr Bryson, who previously claimed the UVF was a counter-terrorist organisation, then interrupted to say Ms Gildernew had not answered the question.
He pressed the former MP, saying he’d be honest too.
In response, she said: “Yes, I do (think murder was justified).”
Jamie Bryson.
Mr Bryson responded: “That’s fine, at least we can be honest with each other. I believe loyalists had a right to do the same the other way. That’s fair enough, at least we’re honest.”
The host, Chris Buckler, said it was “awful” that there was agreement between the pair that “murders were justified in this place”.
Mr Bryson then responded saying he thinks “the murder of IRA people was justified, yes, not civilians.”
Ian Paisley, a former DUP MP for North Antrim, remained quiet during the exchange, but then said he was really interested in listening to the discussion.
He added: “We can spend the next four episodes of this podcast having a grievance culture and discussing our historical culture – to me, we all know that, and we all know the buttons to push.
“The real issue is how do we make Britain on our British link better.”
The Grand Secretary of the Orange Order, Rev Mervyn Gibson, said he has spoken for several years about “moving forward”, appealing to a new generation that has “different values.”
He added: “We’ve defended Britishness, we defended it against the IRA and won. So moving forward, we need to promote Britishness.”
On the issue of a border poll, Mr Bryson stated: “I personally would never accept a united Ireland because I think some things are more fundamental than that.
“And the only difference is, look, I’m honest enough about that, you know.”
Gerry Adams, Michelle Gildernew and Martin McGuinness outside Downing Street in 2005
Ms Gildernew then put it to Mr Bryson that he also said he was a democrat, and asked if he would accept the outcome of the border poll.
He responded: “No, I’ve said before that fundamentally there’s some things which are just more important than that.”
The former Sinn Féin MP then asked if Mr Bryson would “go back to your buddies in the UVF and say, ‘right lads, lets get…”
Mr Bryson hit back: “What do you mean about my buddies in the UVF, I haven’t started talking to you about your buddies in the IRA.”
Ms Gildernew said she wasn’t in the IRA and Mr Bryson said that he wasn’t in the UVF.
Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew, who was MP for Fermanagh-South Tyrone.
Adams: It’s a regret that end to armed campaign took decades to bring about
They both accused the other of having “close links”, with Mr Bryson saying that when Ms Gildernew was his age, she was going to Downing Street for negotiations with Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.
“I was going with the leadership of Sinn Fein,” she stated.
Mr Bucklar then said listeners will be “very concerned” by what Mr Bryson said, because they will take it as “a threat”, that suggestion that if there was to be a border poll “that some groups might take off arms again”.
He added, that will “scare them” and they’ll also think “it’s really a responsible language”.
In response, Mr Bryson said: “Well, it’s not irresponsible to tell the truth.
“And I’m not saying; nobody has said that to me, but I’m just saying, look what happened in this community whenever a large section of the community refused to accept the legitimacy of the state.
“Look what they’ve done for 30 years.”
Ms Gildernew said, “you’re talking about incitement violence now, Jamie?”
He denied inciting violence saying there was “no causal link” between what he’d said and threatening violence.
He said people may engage in “civil disobedience” or “refuse to recognise the legitimacy of the state,” saying Ms Gildernew “doesn’t recognise the state of Northern Ireland”.
Speaking during the podcast, Mr Paisley said he was “open” to conversations about a united Ireland, but has not been convinced by any argument put forward.
Following the release of the podcast the DUP made clear that Mr Paisley is appearing in this series in his own personal capacity and not on behalf of the party.
“As Ian is no longer in public office, he is entitled to give his own views but he is not appearing on behalf of the Party,” a statement said.
“The Democratic Unionist Party is not interested in engaging or being persuaded on the so-called merits of a United Ireland or New Ireland or any other label those who want to pursue that aspiration might put on their latest project.
“We believe in the Union and we are not open to taking part in discussions about a new Ireland and we will not be enticed by honeyed words designed to convey an impression that Unionists would be welcomed and openly accommodated in a United Ireland.
“A cursory examination of how Unionists are treated when they find themselves in a minority tells us all we need to know and gives the lie to the narrative being pursued.”
