McCartneys reiterate demand for court justice
The family of Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney today insisted they wanted a court to deal with their brother’s horrific murder.
And in a statement they also revealed that during a meeting with the IRA on March 5, the Provisionals said there was no reason for the forklift driver’s murder.
Following an IRA offer to have the killers shot, they insisted: “For this family it would only be in court where transparency and accountability prevail that justice will be done.”
The family commented after a man expelled by the IRA over the murder outside a Belfast city bar on January 30 was being questioned by detectives investigating the attack.
In their statement, Mr McCartney’s sisters said it was their belief that 12 IRA members were involved in the cover-up around the murder.
They also believed three people were involved in the actual killing.
They insisted: “It was the cover-up which prevented those who murdered Robert from being brought to justice.”
The sisters also confirmed: “We met with the IRA at their request on Monday, March 7. During that meeting we were informed of the findings of their investigation to date but again it is only in a court that the truth will come out.
“At the meeting (Robert’s partner) Bridgeen (Hagans) asked the IRA representative a question that has been haunting her and the family for five weeks: why did they kill Robert?
“They responded openly and directly that there was no reason.”
The sisters said they wanted the investigation into his murder to be conducted through due process.
They noted that five weeks had passed since their brother’s murder and no one had come forward with substantial evidence.
They added: “This must be due to ongoing intimidation and fear. Until they do, we will continue to campaign for justice for Robert.”
