McCartney threats 'beneath contempt'

Threats to burn the family of murdered Belfast father of two Robert McCartney out of their homes were branded “beneath contempt” today.

Police visited Catherine, Donna, Paula, Gemma and Claire McCartney together with Robert’s partner Bridgeen Hagans last night and told them the threats came from “criminal elements”.

The sisters believe they are being targeted by republicans for their campaign to bring their brother’s killer to justice.

Northern Ireland Minister Angela Smith said she found it unbelievable that such threats could be made.

She said: “I am shocked, I think it is beneath contempt. The dignity of their campaign is something I have admired and I am shocked that such threats could ever be made.”

Catherine McCartney said the threats were not going to deter them from their quest for justice and only illustrated the type of people they were dealing with.

She said: “They told us that the threat to burn us out of our homes and to burn down Donna’s business came from criminal elements.

“We would like to know exactly what that means. Does that mean criminal elements from within a terrorist organisation?”

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said he absolutely condemned the threats and claimed they did not come from Republicans.

“Whatever the family may or may not believe or what they may or may not say, no republican is involved in any threat against this family,” Mr Adams claimed.

He said he was quite sure that if the Police Service of Northern Ireland believed republicans were responsible, they would have said so.