Hunt for Massereene gang 'not over'

Published Friday, 20 January 2012
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The hunt for the rest of the gang responsible for the dissident republican murders of two soldiers in Antrim nearly three years ago will continue, police have vowed - as one man faces life behind bars.

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    Dissident plot

"Police are determined to use every legitimate avenue to pursue terrorist criminals - this investigation is not over," PSNI Chief Superintendent Peter Farrar said.

"We will continue to pursue all those involved in these evil murders."

Mark and Patrick were murdered as a result of a vicious, cowardly act ... after nearly three years of heartache we have come a little bit closer to justice.

Jaime Quinsey, sister of Sapper Mark Quinsey

Brian Shivers has been found guilty of the gun attack at Massereene in March 2009, in which young Sappers Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar were shot dead and five others were seriously injured.

Prominent republican Colin Duffy walked free from court on Friday, cleared of all charges.

"We are, of course, disappointed that one of the defendants has been acquitted," Geraldine Ferguson, the mother of 21-year-old Patrick Azimkar, said.

"This was a terrible crime which stole Patrick and Mark's young lives from them and blighted the lives of many other people."

Begging anyone with information about the fatal shooting to help the police get justice for the victims, the sister of 23-year-old Mark Quinsey said nothing could change the fact that her world "has been torn apart" and that the victims' families were the ones "serving life sentences".

But Jaime Quinsey added: "It brings great comfort to know that this case is not closed. We know there are more people involved and we want to see them sentenced."

Most of the gang involved are still at large, and police say they will not close the book on this investigation until they are brought to justice ...

UTV’s Sharon O’Neill, in her blog Massereene

Convicted Old Bailey bomber Marian Price, 57, is awaiting trial on charges connected with the Massereene murder plot, after a judge's ruling earlier this week that she had a case to answer.

A former IRA hunger striker and now a member of the 32 County Sovereignty Movement, she has been charged with providing property for the purposes of terrorism.

Price was first questioned by detectives investigating the case in November 2009, but formal charges were only brought against her in July last year.

She had been released early from jail under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, but that licence was revoked when she was charged with encouraging support for a proscribed organisation.

The charge relates to an allegation she held a speech for a masked dissident republican at an Easter Sunday rally in Londonderry last year, and saw Price held in solitary confinement in Maghaberry.

As police and the families of the Massereene victims reacted to Friday's verdicts, acquitted Colin Duffy returned home to Lurgan - where his supporters were celebrating his release.

Unlike Shivers, who spent the duration of the trial out on bail on health grounds, Duffy had been held on remand in Maghaberry and took part in no-wash protests over conditions there.

© UTV News
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7 Comments
JD in Belfast wrote (121 days ago):
joe - duly noted. However I think it is unfair for society here to blame the police by default for everything. No matter what happens - everyone just blames the police instead of the root of the problem. There are less than half out there than there was 10 years ago and millions of pounds has been cut from their budget - - - they're not perfect but what force is?
joe in belfast wrote (122 days ago):
JD. i served 12 years in the security forces, was it worth it, no way. to see the likes of Mc Guinness in government is an insult to the victims of terrorism. as for the PSNI, what kind of police force does nothing when they come across RIRA at an illegal VCP ? also what kind of police force walks away from a cordon because they deem it to dangerous ? and before you ask, yes i have stood at many cordons....
JD in Belfast wrote (123 days ago):
Joe --- if you feel so strong about the '2nd rate police force' - what are you actually doing about it? Or do you draw the line at just whining about it on-line? Sure why don't you just join and then show us public commoners how it's supposed to be done?
Steve in Belfast, NI wrote (123 days ago):
Adie, I think the only "disgusting" remark here is yours. Shame on you, and shame on UTV for providing a platform for your racist drivel. They have a perfect right to make any comment they wish on the murder trial of THEIR loved one. You, on the other hand, have no right to make any judgement whatsoever on them.
joe in belfast wrote (123 days ago):
dont hold your breath, i have no faith in that 2nd rate police force...
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