Ahern urged to come clean on McCabe killers 'deal'

THE GOVERNMENT came under intense pressure last night to disclose whether or not it was prepared to release the killers of Detective Jerry McCabe last October as part of a deal to restore the Northern Assembly.

But a Government statement released following reports of the deal yesterday stopped short of denying the killers' release had been part of peace process negotiations.

Instead, the statement issued on behalf of Justice Minister Michael McDowell said the Government would not authorise any such release "in the context of continued Provisional paramilitarism".