THE FUNERAL of the 31-year old man who was shot dead last Wednesday takes place in Derry today. Kieran Doherty’s naked and bound body was found close to a Carmelite retreat centre at Braehead Road, less than one mile from his Coshowen home in the Brandywell area of the city.
He had been shot several times in the head and his murder was claimed by the Real IRA. who alleged he had been involved in drugs-related activities.
Those allegations have been rejected by the victim’s family who, in a statement, claimed that he had been harassed and harried in recent months by MI5.
“Kieran was constantly followed. He believed that his phone calls and letters were being monitored. He wasn’t given a moment’s peace and was under 24/7 surveillance by MI5,” the family said.
“Repeated attempts were made to recruit him as an informer. He rejected all those attempts. In the last months of his life Kieran was stressed out from the constant attention of the intelligence services. He lost weight, was hospitalised with depression and was sometimes unable to speak to his partner,” the statement added. Mr Doherty was due to have been married next June.