IRA distances itself from criminal activity

The IRA has today stated that it has distanced itself from former republicans who have "embraced criminal activity," and has also offered an apology for the murder of a man in a bombing in 1974.

In the organisations annual Easter statement, it said it had "no responsibility for the tiny number of former republicans" involved in crime, and added that those still involved in criminality were doing it for self gain.

The IRA said: "We repudiate this activity and denounce those involved."

The Easter statement also called on the British and Irish governments to continue with implementing the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

In a separate statement, released through the Daily Ireland Newspaper, the republican movement also apologised to the family of a Catholic man who was killed in an IRA bomb attack aimed at British soldiers.

Mr Eugene McQuaid, 35, died in an explosion at a security checkpoint near Killeen in County Armagh on October 5 1974.

The IRA apologised to his family and said an "internal investigation," which was requested by the McQuaid family, concluded Mr McQuaid was killed when an IRA roadside bomb "detonated prematurely" as he passed it on his motorcycle.

The organisation also added that Mr McQuaid was not a member of the IRA, nor was he involved in the IRA operation.

The statement said: "The IRA offers its sincere apologies to the McQuaid family for the death of Eugene and for the heartache and trauma that our actions have caused."

Mr McQuaid's son-in-law, Ciaran Tumilty, welcomed the statement and added that the family had wanted to clarify that Eugene McQuaid was not involved in any paramilitary activity.

Mr Tumilty said: "Those making the false allegations against Eugene never had any evidence to support their claims because none existed," he said.

"He was never a member of a paramilitary organisation. He was a good family man."

(EF/SP)