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Concern over aspects of the probe was raised during the inquest into the death of the 26-year-old at the Old Townhall Courthouse in Belfast yesterday.
Mr O’Connor, a father of four, was gunned down as he sat in a car outside his mother’s house in Whitecliff Parade, Ballymurphy, west Belfast, on October 13 2000.
He was killed at the place where his grandfather, Francisco Notarantonio, was shot dead in a loyalist attack 15 years ago.
It has been claimed that Mr Notarantonio was murdered on the orders
of British military intelligence group, the Force Research Unit (FRU),
to
protect a high-ranking IRA mole known as ‘Steak Knife’.
Shortly after Mr O’Connor’s death, members of his family and senior
security sources blamed the Provisional IRA for the killing. This was strenuously
denied by mainstream republicans.
But Inspector Sean McVea told yesterday’s inquest: “It is believed the
murder was carried out by the Provisional IRA. It is believed he had a
falling out with various members of PIRA.”
It was also revealed that Mr O’Connor who, Inspector McVea confirmed, was a senior member of the Real IRA, was shot 10 times with a .38 revolver and 9mm pistol by two hooded men who approached the car on foot shortly before 1pm.
The inspector said ballistic tests showed the weapons had no previous history and were new. But the victim’s aunt, Charlotte Notarantonio, asked whether he had been killed with guns smuggled by the Provisionals from Florida a year earlier.
When asked if the weapons could have originated from the Florida gun-running racket, Inspector McVea replied: “There is a possibility. I have no reason to believe they were. I have no reason to believe they weren’t.”
The inspector said Mr O’Connor’s brother-in-law Anthony Notarantonio,
who was also in the car at the time, knew the identity of the killers and
had
refused to cooperate with the police.
Relatives told the inquest that Mr Notarantonio – who is currently in custody on arms charges linked to the Real IRA – declined to speak about the shooting because of fears for his safety.
“If Mr Notarantonio did identify persons it would call his safety into question,” Inspector McVea said.
He later admitted that police had the names of suspects but no-one had been questioned in connection with the killing.
The inquest heard that information was also provided anonymously via the confidential telephone.
Relatives of Mr O’Connor claim he should have been arrested by officers who visited his home in Springhill Gardens an hour before the murder over an outstanding fine for motoring offences.
The family claim a bench warrant was issued, but Inspector McVea said they called to serve a summons for notification of a court appearance.
He also dismissed claims that security cameras in the area were not working at the time and said videos were seized and examined but could not shed any light on the case.
The victim’s widow Nicola O’Connor said men were acting suspiciously around the house in the days before the killing.
Ms O’Connor said she knew her husband was in the Real IRA but did not realise the full extent of his involvement until March 2000.
She said it was a “total disgrace” that no-one had been questioned about
the murder and said the Provisionals “felt so sure of themselves” that
they
targeted her husband a relatively short time after police called to
her home.
“Everybody knows they (PIRA) killed him. The police have the names of
the persons that killed him but said they did not have enough evidence,”
she
said.
Charlotte Notarantonio said to Coroner John Leckey: “My nephew was murdered in cold blood the very way my father was. We got no satisfaction then. We have no faith in your system.”
Mr Leckey said he was concerned about the handling of information in the investigation.
He said a senior officer should meet the family and added that he may seek to re-open the inquest following the police report.
“The family is entitled to an explanation. If it was my son or nephew
murdered I would feel aggrieved. A murder can never be justified,” he said.
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