MURDER victim Kevin McGuigan was shot dead by alleged former IRA members after an eyewitness told republicans they saw him leaving the scene of the Gerard 'Jock' Davison attack.
His murder came after he was warned by police that his life was in danger from republicans amid speculation he was involved in the shooting of former IRA commander Davison in the Markets area in May.
This morning, police revealed three men - aged 41, 44 and 53 - have been arrested in connection with Mr McGuigan's murder.
The funeral for the 53-year-old, who was shot dead outside his home in the Short Strand area of east Belfast last Wednesday night, will take place later today.
Mr McGuigan had a long standing grudge against his former IRA associate after falling foul of the organisation more than a decade ago.
While he was widely named as the leading suspect in the killing the PSNI said last week they had spoken Mr McGuigan about the Davison murder - but only as a witness.
The father-of-nine also denied any involvement in the attack through his solicitor.
It is believed that Mr McGuigan provided police with an alibi that he was working at a dock-side gym at the time of the attack and that his signature was in a log book proving his whereabouts at the time.
Former IRA members voiced doubts about the claim after learning that Mr McGuigan - a keen body builder - had keys to the gym and would be in a position to sign the log-book at any time.
However it is understood his fate was sealed when an eyewitness came forward and told republicans they saw him at the scene of Davison's murder in Upper Stanfield Street.
The eyewitness is believed to be a hard-line republican who refused to cooperate with the PSNI murder inquiry but instead reported the sighting to former members of the IRA who were conducting their own investigation.
Sinn Féin has denied mainstream republicans were involved in the grudge murder insisting the IRA no longer exist. The DUP has warned however that there will be political repercussions if republicans are found to be involved.
