McGuinness condemns murder of Andrew Burns in Donegal

The people who murdered Andrew Burns are "criminals hell bent on damaging society", Martin McGuinness said today.

The Stormont Deputy First Minister, speaking at the end of the British-Irish Council summit in Dublin, strongly rebuked those responsible for the brutal killing.

Mr Burns (aged 27) from Strabane, Co Tyrone, was shot twice in a church car park in Doneyloop on Tuesday night and his body was later dumped on a roadside close to the Border.

Gardaí are investigating a possible link to dissident Republicans as well as other lines of inquiry.

Mr McGuinness said today: "We face a real threat from the activities of some people within our society.

"It was a dastardly deed. Absolutely despicable. It was carried out by people who have no regard for the community, for the government or law and order.

"That presents a real challenge to all of us. We have to give our wholehearted support to the Gardaí and the PSNI. These people are criminals and are trying to damage our society in a way that is totally unacceptable to us as political leaders.''