A man killed in west Belfast yesterday was a leading member of the "Real IRA", according to security sources in the North.
Mr Joseph O'Connor (26) was shot dead as he sat in a car outside his mother's house in Whitecliffe Parade in Ballymurphy. There was strong speculation locally of Provisional IRA involvement. He came from a well-known republican family, and is understood to have been involved in welfare work for "Real IRA" prisoners. RUC sources would not suggest a motive for the shooting, except to say it was not sectarian and they believed it was a result of an inter-republican dispute.
Continuity IRA sources denied their organisation was involved, and the killing was condemned by Republican Sinn Fein.
Mr O'Connor had just left his mother's home and got into the passenger seat of a car when two hooded gunmen approached on foot and shot him at point-blank range. He was hit in the head and died instantly.
A relative who was in the driver's seat was uninjured.
Mr O'Connor's cousin, who lives nearby, said: "I heard one shot, then a silence, and then four more shots in quick succession." Tensions had been high in Belfast between mainstream and dissident republicans, but without serious violence.
Mr O'Connor, who lived nearby in the Springhill Estate, was married with two young sons. His grandfather, Mr Francisco Notarantonio (66), was shot dead by the UDA in highly controversial circumstances at the same house 13 years ago.
That killing is at the centre of a legal battle between the British Ministry of Defence and the Sunday People over allegations of security force involvement.
Mr O'Connor's killing was condemned by Mr David Trimble. He called on the RUC Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, to state who he believed was responsible.
"I understand a police operation is still ongoing and there may very well be further developments, but the question we will all ask is who was responsible for this murder," Mr Trimble said.
A Sinn Fein councillor, Mr Sean McKnight, said local people were "shocked" by the killing.
The killing was condemned by Republican Sinn Fein. "We call on those responsible for this deliberate shooting to declare themselves and spell out to the people what their motives are," a spokesman said.
"Local sources indicate the deceased man was associated with the 32-County Sovereignty Movement. Republican Sinn Fein has no hesitation in condemning this action and points out the obvious dangers that lie ahead."
The SDLP representative for West Belfast, Mr Alex Attwood, condemned the murder as pointless but said no one should "rush to premature judgment" about who was responsible. "The overwhelming mass of political and wider opinion is determined to consolidate the political and peace process and no words, no acts and no narrow politics will destabilise it."