IRA meant to kill, says police chief
The IRA meant to kill when it offered to shoot members who murdered Belfast man Robert McCartney, the Northern Ireland chief constable said today.
Hugh Orde also confirmed that his detectives know the identities of the gang members suspected of stabbing the father of two to death, but their investigation is being thwarted by witnesses refusing to give evidence.
In a statement that provoked outrage and astonishment in Belfast, Dublin and London, the IRA said it had told Mr McCartney’s family it was prepared to shoot those directly involved in the killing.
Mr Orde was certain that the IRA did not intend them to survive the punishment.
Asked if the IRA planned to kill, he said: “I have no doubt that’s what they meant. It’s what they do – one only has to look at the history of the IRA. They have killed thousands of people.”
Sinn Féin chief negotiator Martin McGuinness said he wanted people to come forward with information about Mr McCartney’s killing, but that republicans still had difficulty talking directly to the police.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We have made it crystal clear that we want people to come forward and that we want people to give information which will see these people appear in court.
“There is obviously a difficulty within the broad nationalist-republican community in relation to its position with the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland).
“What we need to recognise is that all of us have a responsibility to collaborate together to try to contrive a set of circumstances which will see those responsible for the murder of Robert McCartney brought before the court and I 100% support the needs of the McCartney family for truth and justice in the matter.”
Mr Orde added that there was “no doubt” that witnesses had been intimidated and that police still needed people to come forward with information.
He told the Today programme: “We are still seeking the next big leap of faith from that community, which is that they come to us and they write their statements and they are then prepared to go to court.
“People sending names to each other rather like naughty schoolchildren does not help this investigation.
“We are very clear who our suspects are. What we need is for the witnesses - the 70 people in the bar – we need those people to come and have the confidence to come and speak to us. We will protect them.”
Democratic Unionist leader Ian Paisley said the police should take action against the people who issued the IRA statement.
He said: “I think that the police should take action. This statement that has been issued is an intent to murder. This has to go now to the law.”
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