Republican News · Thursday 3 October 2002

IRA not responsible for Derry shooting

Republicans have told An Phoblacht that they had no involvement in the shooting of a bus driver in Derry City on Sunday 29 September.

The 54-year-old bus driver was shot in the leg when armed men boarded his bus as he stopped to drop off pensioners in the Aranmore Avenue area of Creggan.

Derry woman Bridie McCloskey has blamed the IRA for the shooting, as the driver is a close friend of her son Joseph, who she alleges was exiled from Derry by republicans last year. McCloskey has repeatedly accused the IRA of exiling her son, a claim that has always been refuted by Derry republicans.

Party Chairperson Mitchel McLaughlin responded to Mrs McCloskey's request and made inquiries as to the source of the alleged threat against her son, and after extensive inquiries could find no evidence of any threat to her son Joe or members of her family from the IRA.

"If Mrs McCloskey chooses to not accept Mitchel McLaughlin's bona fides, that is her right. I believe the issue has been responded to appropriately. Sinn Fein's position is very clear and has been outlined to Mrs McCloskey by our party chairperson," said Sinn Féin MP Martin McGuinness.