Our belief that murder was collusion now ‘justified’ say victim’s family

By Alan Rodgers

A LONG-held belief that collusion between the security forces and loyalist paramilitaries led to the murder of Patrick Shanaghan in Castlederg in 1991 has now been justified by the publication by the Police Ombudsman of a major report into UFF and UDA murders, his family says.

The 33 year-old from Aghyaran was gunned down as he travelled to work on August 12, 1991. No-one has ever been convicted of the killing.

It was one of 19 murders carried out by loyalist paramilitaries described as the North West UDA/UFF in the late 1980s and 1990s. They include the Greysteel shootings at Halloween 1993.

In the decade before his death, Patrick Shanaghan had been subjected to daily searches and harassment by the RUC and security forces, often up to two or three times a day.

But in a statement issued by the CAJ, the family said they were in a state of shock when the threats became a reality.

They added that the most distressing part was that the RUC had refused permission for medical assistance to Patrick a short time after the shooting. This was described as criticised by the Ombudsman, who said the decision was incorrect and added to suspicion and mistrust of the police investigation.

Mrs Anderson said there were aspects of the RUC’s use and management of informants which had caused her concern.

She said police had continued to use a number of informants when they ought to have been aware that those people had failed to provide information about the activities of the North West UDA/UFF.

Mrs Anderson also referred to informants whom she said were allowed to continue in the role despite RUC Special Branch possessing intelligence that they were involved in serious criminality, including murder.

“I am of the view that this illustrated a practice on the part of some RUC Special Branch officers to recruit, and continue to use, informants suspected of involvement in serious criminality, including murder, contrary to applicable RUC policy at the time.”