Sister of IRA man shot dead meets Chief Constable

The sister of an IRA man shot dead during an SAS operation outside Loughall police station 16 years ago has met PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde today.

Mairead Kelly said she was trying to find answers into why her brother Patrick and seven other IRA men, who were shot dead during an attack on the police station, were not arrested during the operation. A ninth man, passer-by Anthony Hughes, was accidentally shot dead during the botched IRA operation in 1987.

Speaking before Monday's meeting, Ms Kelly, who represents the relatives of those killed, said they were still trying to find out what happened.

"We did have a successful judgement in 2001 that the men's right to life had been violated, under Article 2 of the European Convention," she said.

"But the facts of the case weren't dealt with, and that's an aspect that we want to raise with Mr Orde and try to see if he can shed some light on what happened and why our relatives were not arrested that night, but killed instead."

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