A police shoot-to-kill policy against dissident republican terrorists would be accepted by the community in Northern Ireland, Ian Paisley Jnr claimed today.
The DUP Assembly member said people would support the use of lethal force to wipe out the threat posed by groups such as the Real IRA.
Sinn Féin and the SDLP criticised Mr Paisley for his comments this evening.
Mr Paisley's remarks come after the latest dissident attempt to murder police officers in the region.
On Saturday three Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers escaped injury in a rocket attack in the Co Fermanagh border town of Lisnaskea.
Renegade republicans have been blamed for seven other murder attempts on officers in the last year.
The "shoot-to-kill" issue was highly contentious in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, with the police and British Army, in particular the SAS, accused of implementing it in their efforts to combat terrorism.
Mr Paisley, who is a member of the Policing Board, claimed people would now accept it as necessary to finally crush the dissident threat.
"Sooner or later there will be a murder of a police officer unless the police are able to deploy ruthlessness in tracking down and wiping out these dissident members," said the North Antrim MLA.
"I believe the community will accept such measures and if dissidents are shot on sight, the community will accept that it is a necessary use of lethal force to prevent dissident republicanism from growing.
"Finally, given the seriousness of this most recent murder attempt, I believe the (Stormont) executive ought to ensure that a full discussion on the security situation must take place with a view to ensuring every encouragement is given to the police and army in the eradication of dissident republicans."
Yesterday police chiefs revealed that the explosives used in Saturday's rocket attack contained Semtex originally owned by the Provisional IRA.
Two officers were on patrol on Main Street, Lisnaskea, while a third was in a nearby police vehicle when a man stepped from a white Ford Escort and aimed an improvised rocket launcher at them.
They dived for cover and escaped after suffering shock and minor injuries when the device failed to detonate.
Mr Paisley has called for an inquiry to establish how the dissidents got their hands on the powerful Czech-made explosive and if they have access to more.
Semtex, much of it secured from General Gaddafi's Libya, was one of the main weapons employed by the IRA when it was active. The Provisionals claimed to have decommissioned its arsenal in 2005.
Mr Paisley said: "There are some crumbs of comfort that the weapons deployment has been botched, or else, more likely, dissidents have been infiltrated and at the last moment the explosives undermined and therefore lives saved.
"However, we cannot always rely upon infiltration and treachery within the ranks of the dissidents to undermine their activity."
PA