Paris attacks: Islamic State militants 'beyond negotiation', Martin McGuinness says

Martin McGuinness and Peter Robinson joined Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers and other politicians in a minute's silence at Stormont for the victims of the Parris attacks

People involved with so-called Islamic State (IS) are probably beyond negotiating with, Northern Ireland's deputy first minister has said.

Attacks in Paris on Friday claimed the lives of 129 people, with the French president blaming IS militants.

First Minister Peter Robinson said the Paris atrocities reminded him of The Troubles.

Books of condolence have been opened at councils across Northern Ireland.

Martin McGuinness blamed "atrocious decisions" over the US invasion of Iraq for leaving the Middle East in crisis.

But he said democracies needed to stand against those who are trying to push the world into a third world war.

Mr Robinson said the atrocity brought him back to the days when bombs exploded in Northern Ireland's city centres and people "feared for the fate of their loved ones".

He said everyone needed to be vigilant and Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK should be included in any security decisions made by Cobra, the government's emergency committee.

Asked whether Democratic Unionist Party MPs might support extending British air strikes beyond Iraq into Syria, Mr Robinson said "surgical strikes against terrorist leaders would be justified, but not the overall bombing of communities".

On the possibility of IS sympathisers posing as refugees, Mr Robinson said this justified the Prime Minister David Cameron taking care to ensure "people with evil intent" did not "hide behind the cloak of genuine refugees".

Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said MLAs had to take a "firm stand" against the terrorists "who represent a threat to the western world".

Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said MLAs had to take a "firm stand" against the terrorists "who represent a threat to the western world"

He said: "It is hard to accept that in 2015, such as simple act as shopping or socialising should represent an existential threat to life. But that is the grim reality of terrorism."

Newly elected SDLP leader Colum Eastwood told MLAs: "We are united across these islands and across Europe against those who seek to shake the foundation of our peace.

"Let that spirit of unity be the message we send to them - it says more than anything else we could do."

Alliance Party leader David Ford said Friday night was "an attack on ordinary people".

He said: "The message has to be solidarity in the face of those who would carry out such terror."