First Minister Peter Robinson has said he wants to meet with the Chief Constable to establish how police have concluded the shooting of an 18-year-old man in north Belfast was not paramilitary linked.

39-year-old Sean Kelly is being currently being questioned about the shooting of a teenager in Ardoyne on Tuesday night. The victim was shot a number of times and remains in a critical condition in hospital with injuries to the thigh and buttock.

It was initially thought the shooting was a paramilitary-style punishment, but this has now been ruled out by police.

"The family of the man who has been shot has indicated the involvement of those associated with Sinn Fein in this attack," Peter Robinson said.

"This connection raises potentially grave consequences for the (peace) process and we will want to meet with the Chief Constable to establish the background of this case and how the police are able to conclude that it is not paramilitary linked. We will be monitoring very closely the facts of this case as they arise and the Sinn Fein response to them."

But deputy first Minister Martin McGuinness said the notion the incident could threaten the peace process is "frankly ridiculous"

"The violence related to extreme loyalist protests in recent weeks represented a serious challenge to the political process. We in Sinn Féin kept our nerve," he said.

"The assertion that this shooting in north Belfast, which I unreservedly condemn, and the facts of which are at this stage under PSNI investigation and are unclear, should threaten the political process, is frankly ridiculous.

"The DUP should keep their nerve."

Mr Kelly was convicted of the 1993 IRA bombing of a Shankill Road fish shop which killed nine civilians.

He was given nine life sentences for his role in the bombing, but was released in July 2000 under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

(IT)