THE FAMILY of a man murdered by the Real IRA has called on PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott to investigate whether MI5 could have information and evidence that could convict his killers.
Vincent Coyle, uncle of 31-year-old Kieran Doherty, who was shot dead in Derry near the Border with Donegal in February last year, issued his call after Lord Carlile said that MI5 had no connection with his killing.
Doherty was murdered by the Real IRA, of which he was a senior member. The dissident organisation claimed he was shot because he was involved in drug dealing.
In the months before his murder Doherty said MI5 had tried to recruit him.
Lord Carlile, an independent British government adviser on the activities of the security services, investigated the family allegations against MI5. As part of his inquiry he met members of Doherty’s family in Derry earlier this year.
Now, in a letter to SDLP MP for Foyle, Mark Durkan, Lord Carlile has said there was no “misbehaviour or infraction by anybody connected directly or indirectly with the public service” in connection with the murder.
He reported that “no inappropriate or improper action took place”.
He added: “Further, the Police Service of Northern Ireland have been able to carry out a full and unimpeded murder inquiry.”
One British security source said it appeared implicit in Lord Carlile’s remark about the PSNI carrying out an “unimpeded” inquiry that any intelligence information that was available would have been provided to the police.
Mr Coyle said that while he had respect for Lord Carlile, he believed his hands were tied and that he could not fully get to the truth, on the grounds of MI5 citing British “national security”.
Mr Coyle said MI5 had tried to recruit his nephew and therefore as part of that process could have information and evidence that could help lead to his killers being apprehended.
