Republican faces court in relation to barracks murders
High-profile republican Colin Duffy will today appear in court charged with the murders of two soldiers shot dead by the Real IRA in the North.
Sappers Mark Quinsey, 23, of Birmingham, and Patrick Azimkar, 21, of London, were killed as they collected pizzas outside Antrim’s Massereene Barracks on Saturday, March 7.
Duffy has also been charged with five counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life.
The 41-year-old will appear at Larne Magistrates’ Court in Co Antrim this morning.
The republican from Lurgan, Co Armagh, was arrested on March 14 and was questioned by detectives at Antrim police station.
A court had granted permission for police to hold Duffy for an extended period as detectives continued their inquiries, but he launched a legal challenge against the move.
On Wednesday the High Court in Belfast ruled that his continued detention was unlawful, but while five other people being questioned were freed, Duffy was dramatically re-arrested by police.
His family subsequently issued a statement demanding his release.
In the attack at Massereene Barracks, gunmen opened fire on people gathered at the gates of the base, killing the two soldiers and also seriously injuring two of their colleagues and two pizza delivery men.
Two days after the murder of the soldiers the Continuity IRA shot dead Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officer Stephen Carroll, 48, as he answered a call for help from a member of the public in Craigavon, Co Armagh.
Three people have been charged in connection with the policeman’s murder.
Yesterday a court banned anyone from revealing the identity of a man accused of withholding information about the murder of PC Carroll.
District judge Rosie Watters’ order also prohibited details of the hearing at Lisburn Magistrates’ Court from being published.
Even precise facts about the charge facing the 21-year-old defendant were made subject to stringent reporting restrictions.
The accused man was charged with withholding information related to the shooting of the police officer.
He was remanded in custody to appear at Craigavon Crown Court next month.
A 17-year-old youth and a former Sinn Féin councillor Brendan McConville, 37, were charged with PC Carroll’s murder.
McConville, from Glenholme Avenue, Lurgan, was remanded in custody on Wednesday. The teenager appeared in court 24 hours previously.
