Priest condemns murder of officer

The murder of a Catholic police recruit in Northern Ireland was indefensible, a priest said today.

The murder of a Catholic police recruit in Northern Ireland was indefensible, a priest said today.

No cause or reason can ever justify the crime, Fr Kevin McElhennon said.

The parish priest at Christ the King church in Omagh said in an address to parishioners today: “No one should be in any doubt that this terrible deed is morally wrong and indefensible. No cause or reason can ever justify murder.”

Members of the local community were trying to come to terms with news of the tragedy.

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Fr McElhennon added: “A terrible darkness descended upon our community with the murder of Constable Ronan Kerr.

“The entire community is shocked and stunned by this horrendous crime.

“The tragedy is compounded on this Mother’s Day by the thought of such dreadful news coming to his widowed mother (Nuala Kerr).”

He said there was a moral obligation on everyone to provide the authorities with information assisting in the investigation of the crime.

PA