Challenge to Sinn Fein candidate over bar killing

The sister of a man murdered by IRA men in a Belfast pub has challenged a Sinn Fein member who admitted being there at the time to give a statement to the police rather than to her solicitor.

The sister of a man murdered by IRA men in a Belfast pub has challenged a Sinn Fein member who admitted being there at the time to give a statement to the police rather than to her solicitor.

Catherine McCartney, who with her family has campaigned for the Catholic community to give up the killers of her brother Robert, was speakingafter Cora Groogan, a Sinn Fein candidate in the November 2003 Assembly elections, admitted that she she had been in Magennis's bar on 30 January.

"I got to the bar about 10pm that Sunday," Ms Groogan said. "I was there for a short while. There was a commotion in the bar but I witnessed nothing and left shortly after 11pm. I have given a full statement to my solicitor." Responding to what she had said, Catherine McCartney said: "The statement should be given to people with the proper investigative skills who can help to bring those responsible to court. I would challenge her to give a statement to the police or the Police Ombudsman."