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Real IRA blames Provisionals for murder
by John Mullin
The dissident Real IRA yesterday vowed to avenge the assassination of its Belfast leader Joseph O'Connor amid growing fears a murderous republican terrorist feud was poised to erupt in west Belfast.
The Real IRA, responsible for the Omagh atrocity which killed 29 people in 1998, is blaming the mainstream Provisional IRA for his murder outside his mother's home on Friday. The Continuity IRA, the other hardline republican group dedicated to overthrowing the Good Friday agreement, agreed and said it too was on a war footing.
The Sinn Fein, including party president Gerry Adams, insisted the Provisional IRA was not responsible, citing a dispute between the two dissident groups. The party usually asserts it is distinct from paramilitaries by insisting it cannot to speak for them.
But Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the RUC chief constable, confirmed that police were investigating whether the Provisional IRA was involved. Two murders of Catholic drug dealers this year were linked to it.
O'Connor, 26, who had three young sons, was shot at least five times in the head as he got into a car in Ballymurphy, heartland of the Provisional IRA. Two hooded gunman had approached the car on foot.
Suspicions that the Provisional IRA killed O'Connor piled pressure on the first minister, David Trimble, leader of the Ulster Unionists, ahead of his crucial meeting of his party's ruling council on October 28. His critics cited it as reason to pull out of the power-sharing executive, where Sinn Fein has two of the 12 places.
O'Connor's mother, Margaret, had no doubts the Provisional IRA was to blame. She said: "They were seen. People saw them with their masks on and with their masks off. They are a known unit within the Ballymurphy district."
Her father, Francisco Notorantonio, 66, a retired taxi-driver, was murdered in October 1987 in one of the most controversial murders of the Troubles. Army handlers of a loyalist mole are said to have ordered Mr Notorantonio's shooting to protect an IRA double agent, Steak Knife.
O'Connor's widow, Nichola, believed that, although the Provisional IRA was involved, his murder was more down to a personal feud than a sanctioned operation. His funeral is likely to take place tomorrow, and will signal a massive intelligence-gathering operation.
The Real IRA said it had identified Provisional IRA volunteers involved in the attack. It had so far resisted attempts to provoke it into violence, and accused mainstream republicans of colluding to maintain a British presence in Ireland.
The Real IRA said: "Our volunteers will be protected, and at a time
and place of our choosing, those guilty of this offence will be dealt with
accordingly. This is not an idle threat. Nor should it be interpreted as
a signal for indiscriminate attacks on innocent republicans loyal to the
provo leadership."
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