Taxi driver 'may have been victim of republican fall out'
A taxi driver shot dead in Northern Ireland may have been the victim of a fall out among republicans, it was claimed today.
Sinn Fein ruled out any IRA involvement in the killing of Barney McDonald, a Catholic, outside a snooker club at Donaghmore, near Dungannon, Co Tyrone.
He was hit in the head with a shotgun blast as he sat at the wheel of his car.
The Northern Ireland security minister Jane Kennedy said it was a cowardly and savage attack.
‘‘Those who carry out acts of barbarism are the enemies of the whole community,’’ she said.
Police said they were still trying to establish a motive for the shooting, but local people said they believed it may have been linked to a row among republicans, possibly some sort of feud.
Mr McDonald, who was in his 50s, had been called to pick up a fare at Arthur’s Snooker Club in Annaghbeg Park before 11pm.
Two men approached the car and shot him in the head with a shotgun. He died instantly.
Police were unwilling to speculate on a motive for the attack and have appealed for witnesses to come forward.
Initial unconfirmed reports indicated the killing was not sectarian and may have been the result of a dispute within republicanism which ignited last week.
However, Sinn Fein Assembly member for Mid Ulster, Francie Molloy, insisted a sectarian attack could not be ruled out.
‘‘I am not convinced that this was not a sectarian attack as there have been a number of incidents in the area, including the beating up of a taxi driver at the weekend,’’ Mr Molloy said. ‘‘Certainly, I would refute any claim that it was the IRA.
‘‘The IRA ceasefire is still in place. I think the IRA’s announcement last week that it has put arms beyond use again is a clear indication of its commitment to the process.
‘‘But regardless of who was behind this attack, this is a terrible incident and a particularly severe blow to the victim’s family and the community.’’
Nationalist SDLP councillor Vincent Currie, who knew the victim, described the attack as ‘‘really
vicious’’.
‘‘I thought this sort of thing was a thing of the past but sadly not so,’’ he said.
‘‘It was a cold blooded, cruel callous, vicious murder that took place while youngsters were in a snooker club. Many of them witnessed this. All I can do is condemn it totally and condemn it outright.’’
Mr Currie would not be drawn into speculating who was responsible.
‘‘I simply don’t know. Nobody around here knows what the circumstances are or why it happened,’’ he said.
‘‘All I know is it shouldn’t have happened.’’
