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New information links loyalist murders

Loyalist murder victim Tommy Casey pictured with his wife Cathleen
Loyalist murder victim Tommy Casey pictured with his wife Cathleen Loyalist murder victim Tommy Casey pictured with his wife Cathleen

THE loyalist killer of a Co Tyrone man is being linked to three other murders, it has been claimed.

Tommy Casey (57), who was a Sinn Féin activist, was shot dead by the UVF at the home of a friend near Cookstown on October 26 1990.

The Casey family believe there was collusion between members of the RUC, UDR and UVF in the murder of the father-of-eleven.

A Historical Enquiries Team report recently given to the family revealed that four UDR members were questioned about the attack, which also resulted in Mr Casey's wife Cathleen being injured.

No-one has ever been charged in connection with the attack and a weapon used, a .455 revolver, has never been found.

It has now emerged that anonymous information has recently been provided to the Casey family naming a suspect, who it is claimed was a member of the UDR, as the killer.

The new claim was last night described by the family’s solicitor as “significant”.

The suspect has also been linked to the UVF murder of former republican prisoner Sean Anderson at Pomeroy in October 1991 and the shooting dead of former Sinn Féin councillor Bernard O’Hagan in Magherafelt, Co Derry, by the UDA in September 1991.

The suspect has also been connected to another loyalist gun attack in Co Tyrone in 1990 during which a man was killed.

The new information was recently passed to the family’s solicitor Rosie Kinnear of KRW Law who says it has now been forwarded to the PSNI.

“We expect a full and robust investigation into this significant new information that further strengthens our view that the series of murders in Mid Ulster during the 1990s were linked,” she said.

Earlier this year the Casey family - who are suing the PSNI and Ministry of Defence - over claims of collusion - voiced concern after the PSNI refused to say how many guns or what type of weapons were recovered during an arms find at Tullyveagh Road near Cookstown.

Police had earlier revealed that “firearms including a handgun" and ammunition were found in the mainly unionist area.

Asked about the arms find last night a PSNI spokesman said: "In relation to the items found, these have been sent for forensic examination and until these tests have been completed it would be inappropriate to comment further."

Mr Casey’s son Conor last night criticised the original police investigation and said that his family believes “that the PSNI today in 2017 is doing what the RUC did in 1990”.

The PSNI spokesman said: "As there are legal proceedings ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment at this time."