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Colin Duffy says 'DNA planted' in get-away car | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Prominent republican Colin Duffy, who has been cleared of murdering two soldiers in Antrim, has said he believed his DNA had been planted in the getaway car. | Prominent republican Colin Duffy, who has been cleared of murdering two soldiers in Antrim, has said he believed his DNA had been planted in the getaway car. |
On Friday, Mr Duffy, 44, from Lurgan, was acquitted of murdering Mark Quinsey, 23, and Patrick Azimkar, 21 at Massereene Barracks in March 2009. | On Friday, Mr Duffy, 44, from Lurgan, was acquitted of murdering Mark Quinsey, 23, and Patrick Azimkar, 21 at Massereene Barracks in March 2009. |
His co-accused, Brian Shivers, 46, from Magherafelt was convicted. | His co-accused, Brian Shivers, 46, from Magherafelt was convicted. |
Mr Duffy said he had "no involvement" in the attack. | Mr Duffy said he had "no involvement" in the attack. |
He made the comments at a news conference on Saturday. | He made the comments at a news conference on Saturday. |
"Let me state quite categorically here that I had no involvement with what happened at Massereene - no involvement whatsoever - and that has been vindicated in the court," he said. | "Let me state quite categorically here that I had no involvement with what happened at Massereene - no involvement whatsoever - and that has been vindicated in the court," he said. |
"There was no credible evidence to suggest otherwise." | "There was no credible evidence to suggest otherwise." |
On Friday, the judge said he was satisfied that Mr Duffy's DNA had been found on a latex glove tip inside the car and on a seat buckle, but, he said, the prosecution had failed to link the defendant to the murder plot. | On Friday, the judge said he was satisfied that Mr Duffy's DNA had been found on a latex glove tip inside the car and on a seat buckle, but, he said, the prosecution had failed to link the defendant to the murder plot. |
Mr Duffy told the news conference he had "never been in that car". | Mr Duffy told the news conference he had "never been in that car". |
"My position has been, from the word 'go', that my DNA, was in my opinion, planted there," he said. | "My position has been, from the word 'go', that my DNA, was in my opinion, planted there," he said. |
Mr Duffy, who has been in prison for the last three years, faced a total of nine charges, along with Brian Shivers. | Mr Duffy, who has been in prison for the last three years, faced a total of nine charges, along with Brian Shivers. |
As well as murder, Shivers was also found guilty of six counts of attempted murder and one of possession of two firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life. | As well as murder, Shivers was also found guilty of six counts of attempted murder and one of possession of two firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life. |
Mr Duffy was acquitted on all of them. | Mr Duffy was acquitted on all of them. |
Sappers Mark Quinsey, from Birmingham, and Patrick Azimkar, from London, had been due to travel to Afghanistan hours after they were murdered. | Sappers Mark Quinsey, from Birmingham, and Patrick Azimkar, from London, had been due to travel to Afghanistan hours after they were murdered. |
The dissident republican group, the Real IRA, claimed responsibility for the attack, which left several others injured. | The dissident republican group, the Real IRA, claimed responsibility for the attack, which left several others injured. |
The Real IRA was born out of a split in the mainstream Provisional IRA in October 1997, when the IRA's so-called quartermaster-general resigned over Sinn Fein's direction in the peace process. | The Real IRA was born out of a split in the mainstream Provisional IRA in October 1997, when the IRA's so-called quartermaster-general resigned over Sinn Fein's direction in the peace process. |