Unionists have expressed concern about further attacks by republican paramilitaries following the murder of a Catholic man in Castlewellan, Co Down.
Mr Matthew Burns (26) died instantly and his brother Patrick was seriously injured when gunmen opened fire on their car on Thursday night. A spokeswoman for the Downe Hospital said Mr Patrick Burns was in a stable condition.
The shooting took place just yards from the men's home on the Burrenbridge Estate. Police sources said there was no sectarian or political motive and they believed republican paramilitaries were responsible.
Mr Matthew Burns had survived previous paramilitary attacks. A bomb was placed on his car last summer. Some local people have linked the killing to the Provisional IRA. Sinn Féin Assembly member Mr Mick Murphy said: "I am 100 per cent sure there was no republican involvement but, of course, I cannot speak for the dissidents."
It has been claimed the bomb left on Mr Matthew Burns's car was similar to a device used in a Continuity IRA attack on Castlewellan police station 16 months ago. Police are investigating a report that a caller who said he represented the Catholic Reaction Force admitted responsibility to a local newsroom.
Ulster Unionist Assembly member Mr Dermot Nesbitt said it was too early to be certain which paramilitary group was responsible. "It seems to be a republican element and that is worrying. I thought we were endeavouring to leave this behind us."
Meanwhile, police have linked elements of the UVF, which is supposed to be on ceasefire, with a series of pipe-bomb finds in Co Derry this week. The latest device was discovered and made safe by British army bomb experts near Maghera yesterday. Supt Terry Shevlin said a warning had been received by a group claiming to be the "South Londonderry Protestant Volunteer Force".