The sisters of murder victim Robert McCartney have rejected an IRA offer to have his killers shot. The family made clear to the IRA they did not want such action taken, according to another detailed statement issued yesterday by the IRA.
The organisation said it has ordered its members involved in the case to give a full account of their actions in court.
The Irish and British governments condemned the IRA's offer to shoot people it believed to be involved in the killing. Unionists and the SDLP said they were appalled, but Sinn Féin insisted the statement was "positive".
Describing last night's statement as "astonishing" and "bizarre", Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said it showed the IRA's commitment to a ceasefire "doesn't mean anything.
"The IRA is living, I don't want to say in a parallel moral universe, but in a twilight zone, where they have completely different expectations to the rest of us," said the Minister.
The IRA said it told Mr McCartney's sisters and his partner, Bridgeen Hagans, during a lengthy meeting that it was prepared to shoot the people directly involved in Mr McCartney's killing outside a Belfast pub on January 30th.
"The IRA representatives detailed the outcome of the internal disciplinary proceedings thus far and stated in clear terms that the IRA was prepared to shoot the people directly involved in the killing of Robert McCartney," the statement said.
Sinn Féin said the statement was positive because it instructed IRA members to go before the courts as the family wished.
But the party's justice spokesman Gerry Kelly said last night that it would have been wrong for the IRA to have shot anyone. "It did not happen and I am glad it did not happen."
The dead man's family has continued to insist that the justice they seek will be found only in court. Their considered response to the IRA statement is expected later this morning.
Mr McCartney's family will be invited to the White House on St Patrick's Day, according to a reliable source.
Last night's IRA statement, signed by P O'Neill, provides further details concerning the murder and the serious injury caused to Brendan Devine who had been drinking with Mr McCartney when a pub brawl broke out and spilled out onto the street. It claims four people were involved in the killing of Robert McCartney, two of them IRA members.
The statement said the IRA knew the identities of all the men involved in the killing.
The IRA also stated that evidence at the scene was destroyed, including the removal of video tape from the pub's CCTV and the burning of clothes worn by those involved.
The IRA further stated that no-one who went to court to give evidence would have anything to fear from its members.
"The only interest the IRA has in this case is to see truth and justice achieved," the statement said.
It added: "We informed the family that we have ordered anyone who was present on the night to go forward and give a full and honest account of their actions. That includes those who have already been subject to the IRA's internal disciplinary proceedings.
"We are continuing to press all of those involved in the events around the killing of Robert McCartney to come forward."
Northern Secretary Paul Murphy condemned the IRA and called for the murderers to face due process. The statement was "completely and utterly unacceptable", he said.
Asked if the governments would now review their policy of keeping the door open to Sinn Féin in the face of unionist opposition, Mr Murphy said Dublin and London would "stand by what the Good Friday agreement says".
