The family of a Real IRA member shot dead by the Provisional IRA has launched legal action against the Police Ombudsman after it failed to investigate claims that a state agent was involved.
Father-of-four Joe O’Connor (26) was killed in west Belfast, on October 13, 2000.
The Provisional IRA is thought to have been responsible.
The suspected agent, whose RUC Special Branch codename is ‘Christine’, is believed to have been a prominent member of the Provisionals in west Belfast when Mr O’Connor was killed and later held a senior position at brigade level in the city.
His status as an informer is said to have come to light after the IRA seized a large number of files during a break-in at Special Branch offices in Castlereagh, in east Belfast, on St Patrick’s Day 2002.
It is believed police documents taken during the break-in were later scrutinised by IRA members resulting in several informers being identified.
A solicitor acting for the O'Connor family last night said he is also understood to have engaged in criminal activity, including tiger kidnappings and robberies, for personal gain.
'Christine' is also believed to have suffered an injury as a result of IRA activity.
While not believed to be one of the gunmen involved in the killing of Mr O’Connor, ‘Christine’ is suspected of having a significant role.
At the time of his death Mr O'Connor was a well-known member of the Real IRA in Belfast.
It is believed he was targeted by the Provisionals in a bid to crush the growth of the paramilitary group in the city.
He was shot dead by two hooded gunmen using short arms as he sat in a car outside his mother's house in at Whitecliff Parade in Ballymurphy.
The Provisional IRA later denied involvement in the killing but this was rejected by the dead man's family, which believes there was collusion in his death.
In 2012 a complaint was lodged with the Police Ombudsman’s Office over the handling of the investigation into Mr O’Connor’s murder.
In September last year relatives specifically asked Marie Anderson’s office to also investigate the possible role of ‘Christine’.
In court papers lodged this week ‘Christine’ is described as “one of the main protagonists” in Mr O’Connor’s murder.
Continued delays in completing the investigation into the circumstances of his death have now prompted relatives to launch their legal action.
The family’s solicitor Michael Brentnall, of Brentnall Legal, said his office has “received information that an RUC Special Branch asset was involved in the murder of Joseph O’Connor”.
"We believe this information came to light as a result of the of the break in at Castlereagh Special Branch offices in 2002," he said.
"We are informed that the individual held the codename Christine.
Mr Brentnall believes the PSNI later allowed the suspected agent to engage in criminal activity.
"We are now aware that this individual rose to further prominence within the republican movement after the murder, and subsequently was involved in serious criminality," he said.
"This individual used his position, and the name of the IRA, to commit criminal activities for personal gain.
"This individual was involved in tiger kidnapping, robberies, extortion of building sites and at least one shooting, all for personal gain, and we believe he was permitted to do so by the PSNI, in order to enhance his criminal reputation and avoid further suspicion around his role as agent Christine.”
The solicitor added that Mr O’Connor’s family also want a fresh inquest into his death.
A spokesman for the PSNI said the murder "sits within the caseload of Legacy Investigation Branch (LIB) for future review in accordance with LIB’s Case Sequencing Model.
"Regrettably, due to the LIB caseload, we are unable to give any undertaking as to when this review will commence.
"We understand the suffering his family continue to go through as they await this review and how difficult it must be for them."
A spokesman for the Police Ombudsman said: "We are investigating a complaint about the circumstances surrounding the murder of Joseph O’Connor at Ballymurphy in October 2000.
"Our enquiries are ongoing."
Agent ‘Christine’ is not the only member of the IRA alleged to have been working for Special Branch exposed in the years since the Castlereagh raid.
In 2016 the finger of suspicion was also pointed at a north Belfast man who was alleged to be a senior figure in the IRA in Ardoyne.
Known as ‘AA’, the suspected agent led the Provos’s Ardoyne unit at a time of intense activity, which included the 1993 Shankill Road bomb that resulted in the deaths of nine people including IRA man Thomas Beagley.
