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No evidence of murder 'collusion' | No evidence of murder 'collusion' |
(about 3 hours later) | |
There is no evidence of collusion in the murder of two Catholic brothers in 1993, the Police Ombudsman has said. | There is no evidence of collusion in the murder of two Catholic brothers in 1993, the Police Ombudsman has said. |
However, Nuala O'Loan said the RUC inquiry was "unacceptably flawed" and cut short after three months. | However, Nuala O'Loan said the RUC inquiry was "unacceptably flawed" and cut short after three months. |
Ulster Volunteer Force gunmen shot Gerard Cairns, 22, and his brother Rory, 18, in the family home at Bleary, near Lurgan, County Armagh. | Ulster Volunteer Force gunmen shot Gerard Cairns, 22, and his brother Rory, 18, in the family home at Bleary, near Lurgan, County Armagh. |
Mrs O'Loan upheld a complaint by the men's father that police failed to conduct a thorough investigation. | Mrs O'Loan upheld a complaint by the men's father that police failed to conduct a thorough investigation. |
She also said Special Branch had not passed on all relevant intelligence to officers investigating the murders. | She also said Special Branch had not passed on all relevant intelligence to officers investigating the murders. |
No-one has ever been convicted in connection with the murders which, the Ombudsman pointed out, happened in one of the bloodiest weeks of "the Troubles". | No-one has ever been convicted in connection with the murders which, the Ombudsman pointed out, happened in one of the bloodiest weeks of "the Troubles". |
A total of 23 people died in a series of attacks which included the IRA Shankill Bombing and Greysteel Massacre. | A total of 23 people died in a series of attacks which included the IRA Shankill Bombing and Greysteel Massacre. |
The Cairns family claimed the Royal Ulster Constabulary - precursor of the PSNI - and Army had prior knowledge of the attack. | The Cairns family claimed the Royal Ulster Constabulary - precursor of the PSNI - and Army had prior knowledge of the attack. |
The family said they had allowed a clear path for the murderers through what they believed to have been an unusually high level of security force activity in the area. | The family said they had allowed a clear path for the murderers through what they believed to have been an unusually high level of security force activity in the area. |
Mrs O'Loan said: "There is nothing to suggest that the security forces colluded in the brutal murders of Gerard and Rory. | Mrs O'Loan said: "There is nothing to suggest that the security forces colluded in the brutal murders of Gerard and Rory. |
"There is no evidence that the police had any advance warning, that they knew Gerard and Rory would be targeted and no evidence that they could have prevented the attack. | "There is no evidence that the police had any advance warning, that they knew Gerard and Rory would be targeted and no evidence that they could have prevented the attack. |
"This was a purely sectarian attack." | "This was a purely sectarian attack." |
She said "much good work" was done in the initial stages of the investigation, but that "within three months it had been stripped of resources and had effectively ground to a halt". | She said "much good work" was done in the initial stages of the investigation, but that "within three months it had been stripped of resources and had effectively ground to a halt". |
The Ombudsman expressed "grave concern" the RUC had begun to wind down the investigation within just two weeks of the killings. | The Ombudsman expressed "grave concern" the RUC had begun to wind down the investigation within just two weeks of the killings. |
The victims' father, Eamon Cairns, said the family's "search for the truth seems no closer". | |
"It seems hard to believe that a professional and highly experienced police force could be accused of this high degree of incompetence," he said. | |
"This report implicitly casts further suspicions that there was collusion." |
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