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Police tell Kevin McGuigan relatives of threats

Police have told members of Kevin McGuigan's family that their lives are under threat
Police have told members of Kevin McGuigan's family that their lives are under threat Police have told members of Kevin McGuigan's family that their lives are under threat

RELATIVES of murdered Short Strand republican Kevin McGuigan have been warned that their lives are under threat.

Police have told family members of the former IRA member that the threats come from "republican elements".

Mr McGuigan (53) was gunned down outside his home in August in an apparent revenge shooting linked to the murder of former IRA commander Gerard 'Jock' Davison.

A BBC Spotlight programme last night said three members of the extended McGuigan family have received warnings.

It was unclear if the threats were from individuals attached to a particular organisation.

The PSNI said it believes individual Provisional IRA veterans murdered Mr McGuigan in retaliation for the murder of Mr Davison who was shot dead on his way to work at a community centre in the Markets area.

But PSNI chief constable George Hamilton has stressed the IRA leadership did not sanction the McGuigan killing.

Thirteen people have been arrested and questioned in relation to Mr McGuigan's killing.

No-one has been directly charged with his murder.

The police assessment has sparked a political crisis with talks taking place in a bid to save Stormont from collapse.

Sinn Féin deputy first minister Martin McGuinness last night insisted that the IRA "are gone" and "represent no threat whatsoever".

Speaking ahead of talks aimed at breaking the deadlock he said: "What we need to do is find a way forward that ensures a workable budget for the Executive, the implementation of the Stormont House Agreement and the British Government living up to its responsibilities and also to find a way forward which allows everybody to be involved in earnest endeavour," he said.

Mr McGuinness added that there were people in parts of Belfast and Derry who "masquerade" as republicans and purported to be the IRA, adding to the mix of confusion about whether the IRA existed.