The Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams has made a plea for calm and restraint following the murder of a Catholic postman by loyalist paramilitaries this morning.
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Speaking in west Belfast, he said the killing provided a challenge to everyone. "It is a challenge to unionist - and I am sure the vast majority of unionists are opposed to what has happened - it's a challenge for republicans and nationalists and it is a challenge for the British government."
Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid called on both opposing communities to work together the end the cycle of violence. "We cannot let those who cling to hate-filled violence cast Northern Ireland back into the darkness," he said.
Northern Ireland's First and Deputy First Ministers, Mr David Trimble and Mr Mark Durkan, also condemned the murder.
Mr Alban Maginness, the SDLP Assembly member for North Belfast, also condemned the murder, describing it as a result of the overflow of "sectarian hatred" and violence in north Belfast over the past week. "At the end of a sickening week, this is the most sickening event of all."
The Republic’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen said the murder and the death threats against other workers, including teachers, represent "a direct and vicious assault on civilised society and democratic values"
"It cannot - and will not - be allowed to succeed," he said. "It also represents a return to the brutality and futility of the past - a past which we hoped was consigned to the darker pages of history.
He urged those with influence in the community to use their influence to calm the situation.
Additional reporting: PA
