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The New IRA has claimed responsibility for the killing of Lyra McKee.<\/p>\nThe New IRA has claimed responsibility for the killing of Lyra McKee.<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old journalist was shot dead while covering riots in Derry on Thursday night.<\/p>\n
In a statement given to the Irish News using a recognized code word, the New IRA has offered its “full and sincere apologies” to Lyra’s partner, family and friends.<\/p>\n
The dissident republican group says she was tragically killed in the course of attacking the enemy.<\/p>\n
They say their volunteers were “deployed to engage” after police raided a number of homes on the Creggan estate on Thursday.<\/p>\n
In the violence that followed, Lyra McKee was shot while standing beside a police van and later died.<\/p>\n
The New IRA is an amalgam of armed groups opposed to the peace process and it recently claimed responsibility for parcel bombs sent to London and Glasgow in March.<\/p>\n
Police believe the violence was orchestrated in response to an earlier search by officers aimed at averting imminent trouble associated with this week\u2019s anniversary of the Easter Rising.<\/p>\n
The statement said: \u201cOn Thursday night following an incursion on the Creggan by heavily armed British crown forces which provoked rioting, the IRA deployed our volunteers to engage.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have instructed our volunteers to take the utmost care in future when engaging the enemy, and put in place measures to help ensure this.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the course of attacking the enemy, Lyra McKee was tragically killed while standing beside enemy forces.<\/p>\n
The IRA offer our full and sincere apologies to the partner, family and friends of Lyra McKee for her death.<\/p>\n
The admission comes as the PSNI say the investigation into the killing is continuing at a \u201crapid pace\u201d.<\/p>\n
Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said more than 140 people had contacted officers with information, adding: \u201cThis was an attack on the community. Lyra, tragically, was a random victim and I need the public to continue to support us.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany witnesses have contacted us to give us information that has been provided to them.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore than 140 people have contacted us via our MIPP (Major Incident Public Portal) with messages, including mobile phone footage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Murphy appealed for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to reassure people that you don\u2019t have to commit to anything today. I just need to speak to people to understand what they know,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The appeal came after friends of the journalist protested by defacing an office belonging to a dissident republican group by putting red handprints on the walls of its headquarters in Derry on Monday.<\/p>\n
A number of Miss McKee\u2019s friends walked to Junior McDaid House, where they used a pot of red paint to place handprints on the side of the office walls.<\/p>\n
A group of some six men, understood to be members of republican group Saoradh, who are associated with the New IRA, stood outside the building during the protest.<\/p>\n
Miss McKee\u2019s friend Sinead Quinn, who took part in the protest, said: \u201cWe have used red paint because they have blood on their hands for what has happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have encouraged it, they have molded these young people into what they are and they are standing behind them handing them guns.<\/p>\n
Lyra deserves more and I am so glad there are so many people here today to see and watch these men looking at us.<\/p>\n
\u201cLyra McKee\u2019s name will never be forgotten in this town,\u201d Ms Quinn added.<\/p>\n
Lyra’s funeral takes place in Belfast tomorrow.<\/p>\n