Shooting probe 'not affected by peer quitting'

10 November 2010
Belfast Telegraph

FOYLE MP Mark Durkan has said the announcement that Lord Carlile is to step down as terror law watchdog will not affect his probe into the murder of a Londonderry man earlier this year.

Lord Carlile, the Liberal Democrat peer, who is a barrister, is to examine allegations by the family of Kieran Doherty that MI5 was involved in his death.

The 31-year-old was a member of the Real IRA and was murdered by the organisation in February. Doherty was found shot dead on a remote laneway outside Derry overlooking the River Foyle.

Lord Carlile met the Doherty family in Derry earlier this month, when he assured them that he would uncover the truth behind the murder.

However, it was announced yesterday that the peer was to step down as the Government's independent adviser on the activities of the security services.

Mr Durkan said he had spoken to Lord Carlile earlier.

The SDLP MP said: "This announcement is in respect of the role that Alex Carlile had as the independent reviewer of terrorism laws in the UK.

"It is not in that capacity that Lord Carlile undertook his recent visit to Derry and his meeting with relatives of Kieran Doherty.

"He has a separate role reviewing national security arrangements in Northern Ireland," added Durkan.

"I understand from talking to Lord Carlile today that that separate role is not affected by this announcement, which was known to be coming, having been signalled publicly and in Parliament some time ago."

Lord Carlile's most high-profile role was his successful defence of Princess Diana's butler, Paul Burrell, against charges that Burrell had stolen some of her estate's belongings.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2010, Kieran Doherty, MI5

Durkan welcomes probe into MI5 link to murder

3 November 2010
Belfast Telegraph

THE meeting between the family of Kieran Doherty who was murdered by the Real IRA and the Independent Reviewer of the Security Services Lord Carlile to discuss allegations of MI5 involvement has been welcomed by Foyle MP, Mark Durkan.

Mr Durkan accompanied the Doherty family in a meeting with Secretary of State Owen Paterson in September and has raised the concerns over MI5's possible role in the case in the House of Commons.

The offer to Lord Carlile to meet with the family of Kieran Doherty was made by the Foyle MP who has campaigned for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. He said: "I welcome the fact that Lord Carlile has taken this act of personal interest, and has travelled to Derry to meet with the family of Kieran Doherty to hear their concerns.

"MI5 still have serious questions to answer over their activities in the final months of Mr Doherty's life.

"Given that Kieran Doherty was subjected to continuing harassment, the family understandably want to know the nature of these activities.

"It is to the credit of the family that in articulating their concerns the issue has attracted this interest from Lord Carlile. However, I don't want to create expectations around this visit or meeting.

"Lord Carlile is an independent reviewer in relation to security matters for the government. He does not have the investigative powers that, for example, the Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland would have when probing police conduct.

"I wouldn't try to pretend that he was and I wouldn't accept anybody else pretending that he is."

However the murdered man's uncle, Vincent Coyle described the meeting as "full and frank".

He added:

"Lord Carlile assured us that he considered this first meeting as the beginning of his enquiry into Kieran's murder and that although his initial opinion was that it would be concluded in a short period of time, it would now take a while longer.

"We have every confidence that he will conduct a thorough investigation as befitting a man with 40 years experience.

"This is unprecedented in that, as far as we are aware MI5 has never been investigated before, in fact people refused to accept the organisation even existed so with Lord Carlile's help we will at last get to the truth behind Keiran's murder."

Mr Doherty's body was found stripped and bound on the outskirts of the city in February this year.

The 31-year-old was from the Brandywell area and was the father of a two-year-old girl and the Real IRA in a statement claiming responsibility for his death said he was a member of the organisation.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2010, Kieran Doherty, MI5

Real IRA admits string of murders

2 October 2010
The Irish News
Seamus McKinney

The Real IRA has admitted responsibility for a series of murders on both sides of the border stretching back more than 10 years.

In a statement to The Irish News the dissident republican group said those targeted were drug dealers and criminals.

Among the attacks were killings in the Republic previously regarded as gangland executions.

The group said it killed Matthew Burns (26), from Castlewellan, Co Down, in 2002. Until now no group had admitted the murder, although republicans were believed to have been responsible.

It also admitted the murder of former 32-County Sovereignty Movement member Kieran Doherty in Derry earlier this year.

The Real IRA said it was releasing the statement in response to "sensational" media reports that it was involved in extortion.

Yesterday a man described in court as the Real IRA's second-in-command was jailed for 20 years for his part in a gun-smuggling plot uncovered by an MI5 sting.

Paul McCaugherty (44), of Beech Court in Lurgan, boasted that he belonged to the dissident group which made the Omagh bomb.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2010, 32 County Sovereignty, Kieran Doherty, Omagh, Paul McCaugherty, Real IRA

Informer claim by ex-32CSM man

4 May 2010
Derry Journal

A Derry republican claims MI5 is increasing its efforts to get him to provide information on other republicans. The man, who did not wish to be named, was until recently a prominent member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, but now says he is no longer involved with any grouping.

He claims that an MI5 agent approached him at an airport in Glasgow last year and asked him to work for the intelligence agency. He also claims the same agent, a woman who identified herself as ‘Chrissie,’ sent him a text message at the weekend.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2010, 32 County Sovereignty, Informers, Kieran Doherty, MI5, Northern Ireland

Durkan questions MI5 role

23 March 2010
Londonderry Sentinel


Foyle MP Mark Durkan says concerns remain over non-devolved security issues including the role of secret intelligence service MI5 in Northern Ireland. Speaking after Monday (March 22) night's Westminster debate on the devolution of justice, the SDLP man said: "People talk about the 'completion' of the devolution of justice and policing, but we are not seeing a complete transfer of those powers. "The Patten Report was clear that intelligence gathering should be led by the PSNI. "At St Andrew's in 2006, Tony Blair and Gerry Adams threw this out the window and agreed that MI5 would have primacy. That must be put right. "Vital powers will still be reserved at Westminster in a way that leaves part of Patten unfulfilled."

Continue Reading... Labels: 2010, Kieran Doherty, MI5, Northern Ireland, PSNI, Real IRA

RIRA ready to explode

23 March 2010
Mirror
Victoria McMahon
Terror group perfects bomb-making technique

THE Real IRA is ready to launch a terror campaign after perfecting the bomb-making techniques that caused carnage during the Troubles, it has been revealed. The RIRA was behind the 250lb bomb which exploded outside Newry Courthouse last month, and explosives experts warned security forces to prepare for a fresh wave of death and destruction on the streets. Newry's explosion proved RIRA bombmakers have perfected the fertiliser mix which made the Provos so deadly.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2010, 32 County Sovereignty, Co. Donegal, Kieran Doherty, MI5, Northern Ireland, Omagh bomb, PSNI, Real IRA

We'll deal them out! RIRA targets Dublin and Donegal drug pushers

7 March 2010
The News of the World
Stephen Breen

A twisted republican terror group vowed last night to kill ALL drug dealers in DUBLIN and DONEGAL. The Real IRA, whose psychos murdered alleged drugs smuggler Kieran Doherty, 31, in Co Derry on February 24, warned it would to extend its war on pushers. Cops visited a number of suspected dealers in Bundoran and inner city Dublin last week to warn them their lives were in danger.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2010, Co. Donegal, Drugs, Ireland, Kieran Doherty, MI5, Northern Ireland, Real IRA, Sinn Féin

Why MI5 is free to operate here while Stormont can't do a thing

4 March 2010
Belfast Telegraph
Comment

At Stormont on Monday, Mark Durkan said that MI5 had "serious questions to answer" in relation to the killing of Kieran Doherty. Mr Doherty's body was found dumped on the Braehead Road outside Derry on Wednesday night last week. The Real IRA says he had been one of their members and that they'd killed him for involvement in a "cannabis factory" in Donegal. The Doherty family has denied the allegation and suggested that MI5 had a hand in the events. What gives this suggestion credibility beyond the ranks of conspiracy theorists is that in the weeks leading up to his death, Mr Doherty had repeatedly complained to local media of MI5 harassment. However, the fact that the questions are credible doesn't mean Durkan will get credible answers. Or any answers. MI5 doesn't do answers. Or credibility.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2010, Co. Donegal, Drugs, Informers, Kieran Doherty, MI5, Northern Ireland, PSNI, Real IRA

Sister of Real IRA murder victim hits out at the killers

3 March 2010
Belfast Telegraph


THE sister of Kieran Doherty, murdered by the Real IRA, has told a rally of supporters that his death could not be justified. A tearful Leeanne Doherty addressed a crowd gathered just off Guildhall Square on Custom House Street last night. She told the shoppers and workers the Real IRA had killed a "loving man, a partner, a son, a father, a grandson".

Continue Reading... Labels: 2010, Co. Donegal, Drugs, Kieran Doherty, MI5, Northern Ireland, Real IRA

Murdered man’s family accuse MI5 of harassment

27 February 2010
Belfast Telegraph
Clare Weir

The family of murdered Londonderry man Kieran Doherty have spoken for the first time to demand an inquiry into whether MI5 was involved in his death — and have strongly denied that the 31-year-old was involved in drugs. The statement was issued last night through Derry journalist and campaigner Eamonn McCann. A caller to a newroom in the city claimed that the Real IRA had carried out the attack. “Kieran was not an informer and was in no way involved in drugs,” read the family statement.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2010, Denis Donaldson, Drugs, Informers, Kieran Doherty, MI5, Northern Ireland, PSNI, Real IRA, Sinn Féin

Real IRA: Kieran Doherty admitted drugs link

2 March 2010
Belfast Telegraph

The Real IRA has claimed that Kieran Doherty, whom it abducted and murdered last week, had admitted his involvement in a €500,000 cannabis factory uncovered by gardai in Donegal last month. In a statement, a representative of its ‘Army Council’ claimed Doherty (31) had made the admission during a six-week ‘investigation’ by the Real IRA following the discovery of the drugs factory.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2010, British Special Forces, Co. Donegal, Drugs, Informers, Ireland, Kieran Doherty, MI5, Northern Ireland, Real IRA

Braehead victim claimed he was approached by MI5

25 February 2010
Staff Reporter

Thirty-one-year-old Kieran Doherty - found murdered on the Braehead Road on Wednesday - went public in November 2009 over an alleged approach by MI5 concerning his cigarette manufacturing firm Northern Lites Ltd. His body - which had been stripped - was discovered on Braehead Road, near the Irish border on the road to Letterkenny, at about 10.30pm on Wednesday.

Continue Reading... Labels: 2010, Informers, IRA, Kieran Doherty, Letterkenny, MI5, Northern Ireland, Real IRA