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File photo: Niall Carson/PA Archive/Press Association Images
Dissidents
'IRA' claims responsibility for Belfast murder
Kevin Kearney’s believed to have been killed on Tuesday. His body was found in a city park yesterday afternoon.
THE RECENTLY FORMER ‘IRA’ say they are responsible for the murder of a man in north Belfast this week.
It is believed Kevin Kearney, who was in his 40s, and lived in the Dunmore housing estate, was killed on Tuesday. His body was found yesterday at a city park close to his home.
In a statement to Belfast-based newspaper The Irish News, the dissident group said the killing was carried out after it conducted “an investigation”.
This is the the second murder carried out by the current incarnation of ‘the IRA’, which came into existence last year with the merger of several smaller dissident groups. They also claimed responsibility for the shooting dead of prison officer David Black in November of last year.
According to the statement to the paper, the killing was carried out “in response to complaints within our community”. The group said he had been issued with a number of warnings.
The victim’s body was found in Alexandra Park by police shortly after 3.30pm yesterday. It’s expected a post-mortem will be carried out today to determine the cause of death.
DUP MP for North Belfast Nigel Dodds condemned the killing, saying the entire community shared “in the sense of shock at this appalling news”.
“Our thoughts are with the family of the deceased. I appeal for anyone who can assist the police investigation to pass on whatever information they have.”
The PSNI are appealing for information, and in particular want to speak to anyone who was in Alexandra Park on Tuesday morning between 8.30am and 9.30am. Detectives at Antrim Road can be contacted on 0845 600 8000.
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