Special Branch handler key in probe

The family of Mr Donaldson, who was murdered in 2006 just months after publicly admitting his role as a Special Branch and MI5 informer, claim British state agencies, particularly Special Branch, are "central to the murder".

They say they are increasingly frustrated and concerned by the lack of progress in the murder inquiry.

It is almost two and a half years since the last face-to-face meeting between Gardai and the family, who said authorities cancelled a planned meeting last week.

Mr Donaldson had been Sinn Féin's chief administrator at Stormont.

He threw his party colleagues into crisis when he confessed to being a paid spy for the RUC's Special Branch and for MI5 for 20 years.

Four months later, he was shot dead in a cottage in a remote part of Donegal by the Real IRA.

"There are serious discrepancies and anomalies in accounts relating to the circumstances leading up to Denis' Donaldson's murder", the family said on Thursday.

They say Mr Donaldson received a written warning from police that he was about to be exposed in the media in December 2005.

They say he was telephoned by his Special Branch handler, identified only as 'Lenny'.

"This call caused Denis to secretly flee Belfast immediately", the family said.

"For the Gardai murder inquiry to be effective, thorough and independent it must examine the identities, motivations, activities, links, communications and movements of the Special Branch handler Lenny and their Special Branch associates".

"Lenny is intimately informed about the events surrounding Denis' murder, Lenny holds the answers to many questions," they said.