The Irish News
Seamus McKinney
Leading dissident republican, Gary 'Donzo', has denied claims that an alleged key witness in the Denis Donaldson murder investigation was ever a member of the Real IRA. Donnelly (38), was responding to claims that a former Real IRA member has been taken into protective custody by gardai in connection with the murder of Mr Donaldson, in Co Donegal in April 2006.
A leading figure in the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, Mr Donnelly also denied claims that dissident republicans have been behind recent attacks targeting Sinn Fein members and their offices in Belfast and Derry. Last year Mr Donnelly, along with three others, spent nine months on remand in the Republic on Real IRA membership charges. He was released from custody in December when his trial collapsed.
The Irish News revealed on Wednesday that a Derry man who survived a Real IRA murder attempt last September led gardai to a sledgehammer believed to have been used in the attack on Mr Donaldson.
A former leading member of Sinn Fein, Mr Donaldson was shot dead in a cottage near Glenties shortly after admitting that he had worked for many years as a British agent. Security sources said gardai believed they could gather vital forensic evidence from the sledgehammer which, it was claimed, was used by the killers to force their way into Mr Donaldson's cottage.
They also told The Irish News that gardai were led to the sledgehammer by a man who was a former member of the Real IRA. The man, originally from Derry, survived a murder attempt at his home in Co Donegal last September. A month later, a pipe bomb caused widespread damage to his home. The shooting attack was later claimed by the Real IRA which alleged that the man had been involved in drug dealing.
On Monday, the Real IRA claimed responsibility for Mr Donaldson's murder in a statement issued at its main Easter commemoration in Derry. However, Mr Donnelly said the man identified as providing evidence to the Garda had never been a member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement or the Real IRA.
Mr Donnelly also denied Sinn Fein claims that dissident republicans were behind a series of attacks on their members in Belfast and Derry. In the latest attack, paint bombs were thrown at Sinn Fein's Connolly House and a memorial to IRA members was smashed in Belfast.
Earlier this month dissidents were blamed for similar attacks on the home of Sinn Fein assembly member Mitchel McLaughlin and the Museum of Free Derry in the city's Bogside. It was also claimed that dissident supporters were behind an arson attack on Sinn Fein's main offices in Derry at the weekend.
"Why would we destroy a memorial to IRA members?" Mr Donnelly asked. "It would be counter-productive of us to attack Sinn Fein members when we are trying to win over the Provisionals' support base."
He said recent attacks were the work of "hoods" and vandals. Mr Donnelly said this was accepted by all community leaders in nationalist and republican areas in Derry and Belfast.
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