Loyalist victim’s father criticises unionist MPs

THE father of a loyalist paramilitary murder victim has criticised unionist political representatives over their comments on the Robert McCartney murder.

Raymond McCord launched a blistering attack on the two major unionist parties, accusing them of condemning the IRA killing yet ignoring the pain within their own community. Mr McCord, whose son Raymond Jnr, 22, was beaten to death and his body dumped in a north Belfast quarry in 1997, believes the Special Branch blocked the police inquiry into the murder to protect a high-ranking Ulster Volunteer Force informer.

A major investigation into his allegations is being carried out by North’s Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan. But as Mr McCartney’s five sisters and fiancee prepared for White House talks with President Bush in their quest to bring the knife gang to justice, Mr McCord criticised his own representatives.