Policeman shot dead by Continuity IRA
THE dissident republican Continuity IRA has today claimed responsibility for the murder of a policeman in Northern Ireland.
Constable Stephen Carroll, 48, from Banbridge, Co Down, was shot dead in an ambush last night, sparking fears that the province is on the brink of an all-out terror war.
A 17-year-old man has since been arrested in connection with the murder.
The ruthless killing, which took place while the officer was on patrol, follows the shooting of two soldiers outside an Army barracks at the weekend.
As fears grow that the spectre of sectarian violence is returning, Dolores Kelly, a member of Ulster’s policing board said: “We are staring into the abyss.”
The murder has prompted rank and file police representatives to call for an urgent security review.
Pc Carroll, a married man with a family, was gunned down after he and colleagues answered a woman’s call for help, apparently made after a window was broken.
They had pulled up in two cars at a housing estate, not far from a Catholic Church at Lismore Manor.
An assassin was hiding nearby and opened fire, killing the constable - the first PSNI member to be murdered by terrorists.
Continuity IRA this morning claimed responsibility for the latest shooting but the Real IRA said they carried out the killings on Saturday.
The organisation said in a statement: "As long as there is British presence in Ireland, these attacks will continue."
Speaking in a press conference this morning, Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde said today was a "sad day" for their force.
He added: “This will not put off me or my officers delivering the service we do to the communities we paid to protect.
“It just reminds us that a small group of people determined to wreck what is huge political progress are becoming more dangerous.
“We are mindful of that and will do our best in every way to bring these people to justice.”
Prime Minister Gordon Brown condemned the “murderers” this morning but insisted: “There will be no return to the old days.”
He said: “These are murderers who are trying to distort, disrupt and destroy a political process that is working for the people or Northern Ireland.”
The incident follows controversial comments by Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams yesterday in which he blamed the murder of the two soldiers on Britain’s decision to deploy special forces in Ulster.
He sparked anger by claiming police chief Sir Hugh Orde had made a “huge mistake” inviting specialist British troops in to deal with the growing menace posed by the Real IRA.
The killing came as tributes continued to pour in following the murders of British soldiers Sapper Mark Quinsey, 23, and Sapper Patrick Azimkar, 21, on Saturday as they collected a pizza from delivery men at the gates of Massereene Barracks in Antrim.
DO THESE ATTACKS SIGNAL THE END OF THE PEACE PROCESS?
