Two held in McCartney probe are released

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

But police confirmed the men will be reported to the Public Prosecution Service in connection with the killing and the attempted murder of Mr McCartney’s friend.

The 33-year-old forklift driver was beaten and stabbed outside Magennis’s pub in Belfast city centre in January.

A police spokeswoman said: “Two men have been released and will the subject of a report to the PPS in relation to offences surrounding the attempted murder of Brendan Devine and the murder of Robert McCartney.”

The McCartney family have accused IRA members of carrying out the attack and have been subjected to a campaign of intimidation.

In June, two men were remanded in custody charged in connection with the murder.

One man has been charged with Mr McCartney’s murder and is expected to stand trial next year.

A second is accused of attempting to murder Mr Devine.

Mr McCartney’s fiancee and five sisters have waged a high profile campaign for justice over the killing, meeting senior politicians in the United States, Europe and the Irish Republic.

In March, they met US President George Bush at a St Patrick’s Day reception in the White House.

They have also held talks with senior European Commission officials and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.