A DUP MEP has named three people he claims have information about the murder of Robert McCartney which could identify his killersm, writes Denis Staunton in Strasbourg
Jim Allister told the European Parliament that Bob Fitzsimmons, Joe Fitzpatrick and Terry Davison, two of whom he claimed were Sinn Féin members, were in a position to give evidence about the murder. Mr Allister said that the man who ordered Mr McCartney's murder was a member of the IRA's northern command and that the person who carried it out was a Sinn Féin treasurer. He said the man who wielded the knife had been seen in the company of prominent republicans.
"Three months after the murder this cut-throat psychopath remained publicly proclaimed as one of Sinn Féin's official treasurers and the man who ordered the killing still struts the streets of Belfast in the company of the IRA's chief of intelligence, Bobby Storey and leading Provo, Eddie Copeland. So much for Sinn Féin/IRA's supposed disciplinary action - it is a farce," he said. Mr Allister was speaking during a debate on a resolution condemning the murder and calling on the EU to offer financial help to Mr McCartney's family to mount a civil action if there is no criminal prosecution of his killers.
He called on Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún, to use her influence to bring the killers to justice.
"She and her colleagues are in a position to help this family by influencing Sinn Féin members, like Bob Fitzsimmons and Joe Fitzpatrick and other people like Terry Davison to truthfully tell the lawful authorities what they know of the horrific events in the alleyway," he said.
Mr McCartney's sisters, Catherine and Paula, who were in Strasbourg for the debate, said that Mr Allister had not consulted them before naming the alleged witnesses, adding that they did not believe the move would help to bring the killers to justice.
The resolution, which is backed by the five biggest political groups in the European Parliament, condemns IRA violence and criminality and calls on Sinn Féin to insist that those responsible for Mr McCartney's murder should co-operate directly with the PSNI.
The debate was dominated by sharp criticism of Sinn Féin and the IRA. Fine Gael MEP Avril Doyle said: "The rule of law Sinn Féin advocates and the IRA enforces is a brutal regime of terror, intimidation and violence.
"One parallel to and incompatible with democratic society. One so grounded in illegality and criminality that it constitutes an affront to the very concept of justice and leaves its victims, such as the McCartney family, powerless and without redress for their terrible loss," she said.
Ms de Brún insisted that her party supported the McCartney family and called on witnesses to the murder to come forward. Catherine McCartney accused Sinn Féin of hypocrisy.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Michael Conaghan is to host a civic reception for the family of Mr McCartney. Dublin City Council was last night expected to approve Mr Conaghan's proposal to hold the reception in the Mansion House on May 20th.