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| Tommy Crossan: Dissident republican shot dead in west Belfast | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A prominent dissident republican has been shot dead in west Belfast. | |
| Tommy Crossan was shot at a fuel depot off the Springfield Road. It is understood he was shot several times. | |
| Mr Crossan was once a senior figure in the Continuity IRA. It is believed he had been expelled from the group some years ago after falling out with other dissidents. | |
| It is also understood that he had been informed that threats had been made against his life. | |
| The attack happened late on Friday afternoon when the area was busy with people. A local priest gave the last rites. | |
| A red BMW car was later found on fire at Beechmount Grove close to the scene of the attack. | A red BMW car was later found on fire at Beechmount Grove close to the scene of the attack. |
| A section of the Springfield Road, between the Falls Road and Elswick Street, has been closed to traffic. | A section of the Springfield Road, between the Falls Road and Elswick Street, has been closed to traffic. |
| Colin Keenan, a councillor for the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), said it was a horrific scene, with the dead man lying in the grounds of the industrial estate and exposed to view from surrounding residents' windows. | Colin Keenan, a councillor for the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), said it was a horrific scene, with the dead man lying in the grounds of the industrial estate and exposed to view from surrounding residents' windows. |
| Relatives at the scene are devastated, he added. | Relatives at the scene are devastated, he added. |
| 'Sense of shock' | 'Sense of shock' |
| Mr Keenan said: "I condemn this murder completely and in doing so I reflect the view of all of the community. | Mr Keenan said: "I condemn this murder completely and in doing so I reflect the view of all of the community. |
| "There is a real sense of shock that this has happened. | "There is a real sense of shock that this has happened. |
| "We have long hoped that the shadow of death had been lifted from west Belfast. | "We have long hoped that the shadow of death had been lifted from west Belfast. |
| "Today's event is a terrible, tragic reminder of the violent conflict of the past." | "Today's event is a terrible, tragic reminder of the violent conflict of the past." |
| Jim McVeigh, a Sinn Féin councillor for the area, called those responsible "thugs and criminals". | Jim McVeigh, a Sinn Féin councillor for the area, called those responsible "thugs and criminals". |
| David Ford, Northern Ireland's justice minister, said the murder should be condemned by all. | David Ford, Northern Ireland's justice minister, said the murder should be condemned by all. |
| Mr Ford said: "I condemn this appalling crime and offer my sympathies to the family. | Mr Ford said: "I condemn this appalling crime and offer my sympathies to the family. |
| "Those responsible for this cowardly act will be pursued by the authorities and I would urge anyone with information to pass it to the police." | "Those responsible for this cowardly act will be pursued by the authorities and I would urge anyone with information to pass it to the police." |
| Belfast's lord mayor, Máirtin Ó Muilleoir of Sinn Fein, tweeted: "Shame on those who bring death to Belfast streets at Eastertide. They represent no-one but themselves and have no place in our great city." | |
| A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesman said: "Police are investigating a fatal shooting in the Springfield Road area of west Belfast this afternoon. | A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) spokesman said: "Police are investigating a fatal shooting in the Springfield Road area of west Belfast this afternoon. |
| "One man has been shot dead in the vicinity of the Peter Pan centre." | "One man has been shot dead in the vicinity of the Peter Pan centre." |