Two held over republican murder

Two people being questioned about the murder of prominent republican Kevin McGuigan have been released unconditionally.

The 44-year-old man and 39-year-old woman were arrested in east Belfast on Thursday.

Mr McGuigan, a father-of-nine, was gunned down at point-blank range in front of his wife Dolores by two masked men outside the couple’s home in the Short Strand area of Belfast on Wednesday.

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Detective Chief Inspector John McVea, who is leading the murder hunt, confirmed the pair who were arrested as part of the overall investigation had been released without charge.

Mr McGuigan was suspected by some in the republican movement of involvement in the murder of former IRA leader Gerard “Jock” Davison in the nearby Markets area three months ago.

This has triggered widespread speculation the murder was a revenge attack carried out by Mr Davison’s erstwhile associates in the IRA.

Sinn Féin has vehemently rejected the suggestion of IRA involvement.

Stormont’s First Minister Peter Robinson has warned Sinn Fein it would face expulsion from the power-sharing Executive if the IRA was responsible.

The officer leading the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector John McVea, said Mr McGuigan was spoken to by detectives probing the Davison murder, but as a witness not a suspect.