Gardaí are investigating the murder of a man in Co Donegal and possible links to dissident republican activity in nearby Co Tyrone.
Andrew Burns (27), a painter and decorator, was found on Tuesday evening with two bullet wounds to his abdomen near St Columba's church in the village of Doneyloop. It is thought he was abducted in Strabane town centre an hour earlier a short distance away on the northern side of the Border.
The Real IRA has denied involvement in his killing but the INLA, another republican faction, has claimed his death is linked to a group called Óglaigh na hÉireann.
Mr Burns was found on the road by people attending a youth club before 7.30pm on Tuesday. It is believed he had been shot in the church car park and that he tried to make his way to the road to call for help. Local people, including a nurse and a youth leader, tried to assist him, but he died a short time later.
His body was taken to Letterkenny yesterday for formal postmortem investigation. State Pathologist Marie Cassidy also examined the body.
Speaking in Lifford yesterday, Supt Kevin Donohoe said detectives were exploring "a number of avenues" in relation to the murder.
"A link to dissident republicans - that can't be ruled out at this stage," he said. "Nor do we have any firm evidence to point in that direction. In every investigation, we have no shortage of speculation. But right at this stage the evidence we have so far is not pointing in any one direction. It is too early at this stage of the investigation to establish a motive," he added.
The Garda said two people and two cars were involved in the killing. The PSNI refused to comment on the killing last night as the Garda is the lead investigator in the murder. A spokeswoman would not comment either on reports that the dead man had been shot and wounded more than two years ago in another incident blamed on the Real IRA.
The Burns family's parish priest said the victim had been abducted a short time after he had been given a lift into the centre of Strabane by his father.
Fr Declan Burns said: "Whoever it was knew his routine. He would have established quite a regular pattern, so they must have been in wait for him," he said. "I think he was unfortunate, he may have got mixed up with people that were not good for him. I want to condemn this as a most heinous, immoral and depraved act. That a young man should be abducted and done to death in such a vicious and callous manner." His parents were crushed, he added.
The murder has been condemned by political representatives. Last November, the British and Irish governments' ceasefire watchdog cited the Óglaigh na hÉireann (ONH) group in connection with low-level paramilitary activity and criminality in the Strabane area.
The watchdog reported that in the course of the previous six months: "Óglaigh na hÉireann had remained active, claiming responsibility for pipe bomb attacks against PSNI premises and the homes of police officers, and it had showed a determination to continue acts of terrorism.
"In July, it threw a pipe bomb at Strabane PSNI station which exploded on the roof of adjacent premises. We believe it was responsible for the three explosive devices which were discovered at the houses of District Policing Partnership members and a PSNI officer in the Strabane area over four days in April 2007; none caused any damage."