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Sinn Fein News, February 26, 2005


The killing of Robert McCartney

IRA Statement / Gerry Adams met McCartney familiy and welcomes IRA statement


Robert McCartney, from the strongly republican Short Strand area in east Belfast, was stabbed to death in a bar-room brawl on January 30, 2005. Mr McCartney's family believes individual members of the Provisional IRA were involved in the murder and in subsequent attempts to frustrate the PSNI inquiry through the intimidation of witnesses. The case has become highly politicised amid a wave of anti-republican propoganda.

IRA Statement

The IRA statement on the killing of Robert McCartney Following our investigation the IRA leadership, along with the leadership of the Belfast Command, initiated disciplinary proceedings through Court Martial. This was in accordance with IRA Standing Orders. These proceedings were directed only against IRA volunteers.

The outcome of the Courts Martial include the dismissal of three volunteers, two of whom were high ranking Volunteers.

One of these Volunteers had already gone to a solicitor immediately after the incident to make a statement of his actions on that night.

The other two were advised in the strongest terms possible to come forward and to take responsibility for their actions, as the McCartney family have asked.

In our statement of February 15th, we made it absolutely clear that no one should hinder or impede the McCartney family in their search for truth and justice and that anyone who could help them in that search should do so.

A dispute broke out between a senior republican and a group of people that included Robert McCartney and Brendan Devine.

After an initial heated verbal exchange between the senior republican and Robert McCartney. At that point another man and the senior republican were involved in a further heated exchange. Blows were exchanged and a major melee erupted in the bar.

Neither that man nor the senior republican had weapons of any description in their possession though both were struck with bottles thrown by others. Robert McCartney played no part in the melee.

Both Brendan Devine and the senior republican received serious stab wounds inside the bar.

A crowd spilled out onto the street. Verbal abuse and threats were being shouted by many of those present.

Some of those at the scene, including some republicans, tried to calm the situation.

The senior republican's wounds were tended by people at the scene and he was quickly taken to hospital.

In the meantime Brendan Devine, Robert McCartney and another man ended up in Market Street. It is the view of our investigation that these men were leaving the scene.

They were followed into Market Street where Robert McCartney and Brendan Devine were attacked and stabbed.

Both men were stabbed by the same man. Robert McCartney died a short time later in hospital.

No materials under the control of or belonging to the IRA were produced or used at any time during this savage attack.

A member of the bar staff was threatened by an individual who then took the CCTV tape away and destroyed it.

Those at the scene are responsible for the clean-up or destruction of evidence at the scene.

There should be no misunderstanding of our position in that regard. Any intimidation or threats in the name of the IRA or otherwise to any person who wishes to help the McCartney family will not be tolerated.

The internal disciplinary steps taken by the IRA are a matter for the IRA. They are not intended to be, nor should they be, seen as a substitute for the requests of the McCartney family.

IRA volunteers fully understand that they are bound by rules and regulations and a Code of Conduct. There will be no tolerance of anyone who steps outside of these rules, regulations or code. Anyone who brings the IRA into disrepute will be held accountable.

Gerry Adams met McCartney familiy and welcomes IRA statement

Adams holds meeting with McCartney family; welcomes IRA statement The Sinn Féin President, Gerry Adams, has confirmed that he had a face-to-face meeting with the sisters of Robert McCartney on Thursday.

Speaking in Dublin on Friday, Mr Adams said that Mr McCartney's partner, Bridgeen, and his father were also at the meeting, which he described as positive.

He said the republican movement is one of the groups most outraged by the murder of Mr McCartney.

Mr Adams said it was the patriotic duty of everyone to try and help the McCartney family in their desire to have the killer or killers of Mr McCartney brought to justice.

Speaking later to the BBC, Mr Adams described the IRA statement issued Friday night as a "very positive development".

He said that he had been in the bar on that night, he would be prepared to give evidence in any court case that was brought against Mr McCartney's killers.

"As a republican I would make myself available to the courts as the McCartney family have asked," he said.

"I say that mindful of all the difficulties that we have had trying to straighten out and get a proper judicial system and so on, but I think that this is such a serious situation," he said.

Mr Adams also said that since Sinn Féin had issued its appeal for witnesses to come forward, 30 people had responded.

Meanwhile, an opinion poll published in Friday's Irish Independent found that support for Sinn Féin is almost unchanged since November.


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