Orde 'political' remarks criticised

Gareth O'Connor has been missing since May

Chief Constable Hugh Orde has been accused by Sinn Fein of a "blatant political intervention" in the case of the disappearance of a County Armagh man.

Mr Orde said in an interview with the Irish News in Belfast that the IRA was "highly likely" to have been involved in the disappearance of Gareth O'Connor.

Mr O'Connor, 24, from Armagh city, has not been seen since 11 May, when he failed to report to Dundalk police station in the Irish Republic as part of his bail conditions.

He has not been found, despite searches on both sides of the border.

He had been charged with membership of the Real IRA.

Mr Orde said: "If it was anyone else, he probably would have been found. I would be surprised if he was found.

"Experience tells me, given the history of this place, it is unlikely. He is not the first person to go missing and never to have been recovered."

Former Sinn Fein assembly member Gerry Kelly said on Thursday that if Hugh Orde had information, he should talk to Mr O'Connor's family.

"The IRA has said itself that it knows nothing about it and that it has no information about that and I believe them," Mr Kelly said.

It's OK hearing it from other people, but when you actually see it yourself down on paper, it is a big, big shock Bernie O'Connor Mother

"If he has information, he should go to the parents of Gareth O'Connor and tell them what information that is."

Mr O'Connor's father Mark said Sinn Fein still had questions to answer.

"Gerry Kelly did speak to me, but it took me three days to get in contact with him, and the response I got was not satisfactory.

"He was just like a parrot, repeating the verse of a song - he didn't know what to say."

Mr O'Connor's mother, Bernie, said it was still a shock even though the family had been warned by police that her son's body might never be found.

"It's OK hearing it from other people, but when you actually see it yourself down on paper, it is a big, big shock," she said.

"It more or less tells you things are bad."

It is understood that prior to Mr O'Connor's disappearance, police had warned his family that the IRA may be targeting him because of alleged links with dissident republicans.

However, the IRA said in a statement that it had "no knowledge whatsoever concerning the disappearance or whereabouts of Gareth O'Connor".

Inquiry

Irish police say they are still treating his case as a missing person's inquiry.

However, a senior security source in the Irish Republic said they have not ruled out the possibility that the Mr O'Connor may have been killed by dissident republicans.

In the interview, Mr Orde also claimed punishment attacks carried out by the IRA had increased in recent months because the delay in assembly elections meant Sinn Fein would not be damaged.

He said that between 25 February and 28 July, the Provisional IRA was responsible for 19 shootings, five beatings and "we think probably more than that".

"It is interesting that the Provisional IRA have increased their level of punishment, whatever they call it, community policing," he told the newspaper.

"I wonder if it is because the grip they had before was because of the elections, that is, if you do too many shootings you damage Sinn Fein.

"Lack of elections has allowed them to free up and go back and do what they do best - which is hurt people."

Northern Ireland's devolved administration was suspended last October amid allegations of IRA intelligence gathering in the Stormont government.