Loyalist murder weapon ‘imported by MI5’

A gun used in the murder of a Catholic doorman almost 20 years ago has been linked to a series of other loyalist killings, the PSNI has admitted.

Seamus Dillon was shot dead by the LVF (Loyalist Volunteer Force) at the Glengannon Hotel near Dungannon where he worked as doorman. The father-of-three was gunned down in December 1997 in an apparent revenge attack hours after LVF leader Billy Wright was executed by the INLA inside Long Kesh prison.

In March, the coroner rejected requests to widen the inquest to include six other loyalist killings, saying that a public inquiry was the most appropriate way of investigating links between the series of deaths in the mid 1990s.

A barrister representing the PSNI told the preliminary inquest this week that forensic tests on the weapon used was indeed linked to other loyalist killings.

Relatives for Justice director Mark Thompson said he believes there was collusion in murder of the Mr Dillon.

“Relatives for Justice believe that collusion was a key factor in the attack that killed Seamus and left fellow doorman, Christy Cummings, permanently paralysed,” he said.

“[The doormen’s] actions that night in preventing loyalists from entering the premises undoubtedly saved countless lives.

“The weapon used in the attack came from a consignment of weapons imported from South Africa in the late 1980’s by MI5 via its agents within loyalism.”

The justice campaigner said members of the LVF gang were former members of the Mid-Ulster UVF who worked as Crown force agents.

“The fact that there have been no prosecutions in scores of UVF and LVF attacks across this region speaks volumes,” he said.

A number of witnesses have not yet confirmed their attendance at the forthcoming inquest. The coroner said he would be asking the PSNI to “personally” serve summonses issued by the court.

He also requested an explanation for the blanking out of names on documents supplied by the PSNI and said anyone who was likely to be mentioned at the inquest should be notified.

“I regard that as the responsibility of the PSNI”, he said.

Urgent Appeal