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Sunday Worldreporter Martin O'Hagan was shot dead
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Journalists from all over Ireland gathered today to pay tribute to colleague Mr Martin O'Hagan who was gunned down last week. Several thousand people attended his funeral in his hometown of Lurgan, County Armagh.
Speaking at the graveside, Father Brian D'Arcy declared: "Martin was gunned down because he got nearer the truth than the rest of us."
Father D'Arcy, a columnist with the Sunday Worldfor which Mr O'Hagan worked, said: "He was sadly and violently taken from us."
He described the reporter as a tenacious seeker of the truth and said it was up to other journalists to carry on the work for which he died.
The 51-year-old reporter was shot dead on Friday night in front of his wife as they walked home from their local pub.
Mr O'Hagan had been the subject of numerous loyalist death threats and was forced to flee Northern Ireland in the 1990s after the former Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy "King Rat" Wright threatened to murder him.
Wright was shot dead by republicans inside the top security Maze Prison in 1998.
Mr O'Hagan's murder was claimed by the Red Hand Defenders, a covering used by both the LVF and Ulster Defence Association. The security forces believe the LVF were the most likely suspects.
Mr O'Hagan's widow, Marie, and daughters Martina, Cara and Niamh led mourners from a private service in the family home to the burial. Colleagues alternated in carrying the coffin along the mile-long route.
Among them was Mr Jim Campbell, a fellow journalist on the Sunday Worldwho was injured in a loyalist murder bid at his Belfast home in the early 1980s.
Junior Northern Ireland Office Minister Mr Des Browne represented the British government at the funeral, which was also attended by the Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture, Ms Brid Rodgers, the SDLP MLA for the area.
All editorial staff from the Sunday Worldoffices in Dublin and Belfast, where Mr O'Hagan was based, travelled to the funeral.
Downing Street today strongly condemned the "barbarism" of the killing. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said it had still not been established which paramilitary group was responsible for the murder but pledged all paramilitary ceasefires were kept constantly under review.
"The Government would not hesitate to specify any group," the spokesman said.
Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid is tonight due to take part in an SDLP fringe meeting at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton where he is expected to face questions about the loyalist ceasefires.
The European Commission today condemned the murder and the International Press Institute in Vienna denounced the killers and urged Dr Reid to bring to justice those responsible.
The Secretary of State was urged to do everything in his power to "ensure the safety" of journalists covering events in Northern Ireland.
In a tribute to the murdered journalist, Northern Ireland Assembly members at held a minute's silence in his memory.
Mr O'Hagan was the first journalist to be murdered in Ulster during more than 30 years of violence.
He was known for his pursuit of paramilitaries and drug dealers - a dedication which prompted numerous threats and led to his death.
Police investigating the murder are expected to visit his office this week in the hope that studying his computer records would help pinpoint the killers.
RUC Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanaghan confirmed today that police were pursuing a line of inquiry that "local elements of the LVF" were involved in the murder.
He said: "It would be wrong at this stage of the investigation to say that it has been firmly established who is responsible for this horrific killing."
Sir Ronnie added: "Certainly there has been much speculation about this murder and we would have to acknowledge that there have been links between the LVF and the UDA through certain individuals. However, at this stage there is nothing to suggest definitely who was responsible."
On Friday, Dr Reid decided against declaring the UDA ceasefire over after receiving a commitment that the recent outbreak of violence in North Belfast would be brought to an end.
He warned the organisations that he would watch them and would not hesitate to act if there was more violence from the organisation.
PA