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Alex McCrory questioned over 1987 murders of undercover detectives

Alex McCrory (centre) pictured with Colin Duffy (far right) after being released on bail on dissident charges last month. Picture by Mal McCann
Alex McCrory (centre) pictured with Colin Duffy (far right) after being released on bail on dissident charges last month. Picture by Mal McCann Alex McCrory (centre) pictured with Colin Duffy (far right) after being released on bail on dissident charges last month. Picture by Mal McCann

HIGH-PROFILE republican Alex McCrory was released on Wednesday night after being questioned by police investigating the murders of two Special Branch detectives almost 30 years ago.

The 54-year-old, who was released on bail just weeks ago after spending more than two years on remand facing dissident charges, was arrested from an address in west Belfast on Wednesday and taken to Musgrave Street police station.

He was released on Wednesday night pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service.

Undercover detectives Michael Malone (35) and Ernest Carson (50) were shot in an IRA gun attack in a bar at Belfast's Donegall Quay in August 1987.

They were in plain clothes when they were killed in the Liverpool Bar close to a passenger ferry terminal.

Another detective and a civilian, who was playing pool in the bar, were wounded.

Mr Malone was one of the most high-ranking Catholic police officers to be killed during the Troubles.

The IRA claimed at the time they were involved in "cross-channel surveillance" in the bar but their cover had been blown.

Detective Inspector Stuart Griffin said: "Although these murders happened a long time ago, police would continue to appeal to anyone with information about the shooting and those involved to come forward."

A former IRA prisoner, McCrory is currently on bail along with Colin Duffy and Harry Fitzsimons accused of trying to kill police in a gun attack in north Belfast in 2013.