conversely, i know people who deal with McGuinness on a fairly regular basis, and i also know PIRA people from the 1980's - their view of McGuinness is certainly one of ruthlessness, but not of casual cruelty or indifference to violence.
its interesting that its the father of one of the children murdered in Warrington who invited McGuinness - having met him on several occasions previously - one would have thought that he had a greater right to forgive or forget than many others, though of course he has said explicitly that he isn't within a thousand miles of forgiving PIRA for the death of his son...