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A man was cleared today of murdering Robert McCartney, who was beaten and stabbed to death outside a Belfast bar in an attack blamed on IRA members.

The verdict in the Robert McCartney murder trial in Belfast is to be delivered today.

Robert McCartney turned to his friend during the vicious assault which ended in his fatal stabbing and gasped: “Nobody deserves this”, a court heard today.

The trial of the man accused of murdering Robert McCartney was postponed indefinitely today due to legal reasons.

Gerry Adams today gave republicans the signal to break their silence and cooperate with the Robert McCartney murder inquiry.

LITTLE Brandon Hagans hasn’t seen his daddy in a year, and the hurt of apparent abandonment torments his young mind.

The family of murdered Belfast father of two Robert McCartney is to meet Tony Blair later today.

Two men arrested in connection with the murder of Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney were tonight released.

TWO men were arrested and questioned yesterday in connection with the murder of a Belfast man who was stabbed to death outside a bar in the city.

Two men were today arrested in connection with the murder of Belfast father of two Robert McCartney.

The sisters and fiancee of murder victim Robert McCartney today met Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain as part of their campaign to bring the people involved in their brother’s killing to justice.

A sister of murder victim Robert McCartney is to leave her home of 40 years so she no longer comes into contact with people she believes were involved in her brother’s killing.

Police are seeking to re-interview the co-accused of the man charged with murdering Robert McCartney outside a Belfast bar, it was revealed today.

THE family of murdered Belfast father of two Robert McCartney yesterday requested a meeting with Sinn Féin to discuss the party’s handling of the case.

The family of murdered Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney today requested a meeting with Sinn Féin to discuss the party's handling of the case.

THE family of Robert McCartney came face to face over the weekend with the man charged with the murder of their brother.

Two men have been remanded in custody today in connection with events surrounding the death of Robert McCartney.

Terence Davison, (aged 49), today appeared in court in Belfast charged with the murder of father-of-two Robert McCartney.

A 49-year-old man charged with the murder of Robert McCartney, outside a Belfast bar in January last, is due to appear in court later this morning.

A PUB bouncer will be charged today with the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney while a senior IRA figure will face an attempted murder charge in relation to a separate attack on Mr McCartney’s friend, Brendan Devine.

A man is to be charged with the murder of Robert McCartney, police in Belfast said tonight.

Police in Belfast tonight warned the family of Robert McCartney, the murdered father of two, of threats from “criminal elements” to have them burnt out of their homes and business.

Gerry Adams was harangued in a republican area of Belfast while canvassing in the British General Election because of his stance on the murder of father-of-two Robert McCartney, it was claimed today.

A Sinn Féin member who was in a Belfast bar on the night father-of-two Robert McCartney was murdered will not contest the local government elections, it emerged tonight.

THE family of Robert McCartney yesterday indicated they could launch an appeal to raise funds for a civil action against his killers.

The family of murdered Belfast father of two Robert McCartney could launch an appeal to raise funds for a civil action against his killers, they indicated today.

THE family of murdered Belfast father of two Robert McCartney are considering a civil action against his killers similar to the case against people accused of the Omagh bomb.

The family of murdered Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney is considering a civil action against his killers similar to the case against people accused of the Omagh bomb.

The killers of Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney were today branded cowards by Gerry Adams for failing to face up to what they had done.

The IRA’s statement confirming it had offered to shoot the killers of Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney was a mistake, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness acknowledged today.

THE sisters of murdered Belfast father of two Robert McCartney have decided against contesting elections as part of their campaign to force his killers into court.

THE North’s most senior policeman Hugh Orde yesterday hit back at claims that the investigation into the murder of Belfast father of two Robert McCartney is being manipulated to damage Sinn Féin.

The North's most senior policeman Hugh Orde today hit back at claims that the investigation into the murder of Belfast father of two Robert McCartney is being manipulated to damage Sinn Féin.

MARTIN McGuinness last night challenged Northern Ireland’s top police officer to explain why an IRA suspect in the Robert McCartney murder has not been arrested.

THE family of murdered Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney will hand over a dossier on his killing to US President George Bush when they meet him in the White House tomorrow.

Murder victim Robert McCartney’s family will today head for Washington on the next stage of their bid to hound his killers into court.

Sinn Féin chief Martin McGuinness tonight urged IRA murder victim Robert McCartney’s sisters to stay out of party politics.

One of the chief suspects in the Robert McCartney murder inquiry is to be questioned by detectives, it emerged tonight.

The family of Robert McCartney today challenged Sinn Féin’s fitness for government following revelations that one of its election candidates was in Magennis’s bar on the night he was murdered.

A Sinn Féin Assembly election candidate was among around 70 people in the bar where Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney was murdered, it emerged today.

A man questioned about the murder of Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney was released by detectives last night.

Here is the full text of the IRA statement:

The latest statement issued by the IRA must rank as one of the most extraordinary ever. It is a frightening exhibition of just how out of touch the organisation is with the constitutional process and the fundamentals of the judicial system.

The IRA was prepared to shoot the men blamed for the murder of Robert McCartney, the Provisionals said tonight.

The family of murdered Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney is today considering its response to moves by Sinn Féin to suspend seven of its members over allegations that they were involved in the murder.

Up to 20 people hold the key to whether the killers of Belfast father of two Robert McCartney will face justice, his family claimed tonight.

Robert McCartney’s death marks a sea change for republicans, writes John Breslin.

SINN FÉIN and the Provisional movement generally are facing one of their most difficult tests ever.

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell yesterday said he regards alleged IRA involvement in a Belfast murder as a “sinister development”.