IRA offers to kill McCartney's murderers

The Provisional IRA has made an offer to Robert McCartney's family:

The IRA has said it told the family of the Belfast murder victim Robert McCartney that it was prepared to shoot the men directly involved in his death.

Mr McCartney, 33, was murdered on 30 January after a row in a bar. His family claim republicans were involved.

A lengthy statement said the McCartney family met the IRA and made it clear they did not want physical action taken against those involved.

The family insist those responsible should be punished through the courts.

The five page statement from the IRA leadership said its representatives have now had two meetings with the McCartney family, one of which lasted five and a half hours.

The IRA said it had given the family the names of the man who stabbed Mr McCartney and a second man who supplied removed and destroyed the murder weapon.

Both these men have been expelled by the IRA.

The republican organisation said it had also spoken directly to key eye witnesses and told them they had nothing to fear from the IRA.

So much for those who claim that the IRA is protecting these men.