Paul Quinn murder - Warning of political fall-out - Latest killing to be attributed to republicans

23 October 2007
The Irish News

Republicans have been blamed for a series of controversial killings in recent years.

In November 1994 the Provisional IRA was blamed for murdering south Armagh postman Frank Kerr (54) who was shot in the neck during a sorting office robbery in Newry, Co Down.

The IRA initially denied involvement but later admitted that its members had been involved in the bungled raid.

In April 2002 taxi driver Barney McDonald was shot dead as he arrived to pick up a fare at a snooker club in Donaghmore, Co Tyrone. It was initially claimed that IRA members had carried out the murder but Mr McDonald's family later dismissed the allegation and criticised the police inquiry, claiming that an informer was being protected.

In January 2005 east Belfast man Robert McCartney (33) was stabbed to death outside Magennis's Bar in Belfast city centre. The McCartney family blamed IRA members for the murder and claimed that republicans had destroyed forensic evidence in the bar. Several Sinn Fein members who were in the bar on the night of the murder were later suspended from the party. Two men are awaiting trial in connection with the murder.

In February 2005 the family of Derry man James McGinley claimed that the man convicted of his killing was a member of the IRA. Mr McGinley was stabbed during an altercation in the city's Bogside area. Bart Fisher was convicted of his manslaughter and sentenced to three years in prison. He later denied being a member of the Provisional IRA. The McGinley family later claimed to have been threatened by the paramilitary group.

In May 2003 police linked the Provisionals with the disappearance of dissident republican Gareth O'Connor (24), a father-of-two from Co Armagh. He had gone missing while driving through south Armagh on his way to answer bail in the Republic where he faced charges of Real IRA membership. In June 2005 Mr O'Connor's body was found in his submerged car in Newry canal. A postmortem examination was unable to determine how Mr O'Connor had died. The IRA has always denied involvement in the murder. In a later court case Mr O'Connor was identified as having worked as a Special Branch informer.