The family of murdered Belfast man Robert McCartney has labelled Sinn Féin's suspension of seven members as a belated step forward.
Last night, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams suspended the members without prejudice for their alleged links to Mr McCartney's murder. He said their names would be passed to Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan.
Mr McCartney was stabbed and beaten to death outside a bar in Belfast on 30 January.
Paula McCartney, a sister of the deceased, said the family welcomed personal comments by Mr Adams expressing his anger and outrage at what had happened.
She said there was a symbolic significance in the move by Mr Adams to instruct his solicitor to hand over to the Police Ombudsman the names of the seven suspended from Sinn Féin.
Meanwhile, Detective Superintendent George Hamilton said the PSNI believe some people who witnessed the killing have not come forward because they are fearful about what might happen to them within their own community if they did give evidence.
Superintendent Hamilton said that ten people arrested and questioned about the murder had exercised their legal right to remain silent during police interviews, and said none of the suspects had engaged with detectives during the questioning.
The Police Ombudsman has said her office would not be compromised by taking statements relating to the murder.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio, Ms O'Loan said there were precedents for this and that her office had trained investigators who could take statements.
She said her office would be assisting the community to bring evidence to the police, who would then conduct the investigation.
Drop in poll ratings for Adams
In a separate development, a survey in today's Irish Times suggests there has been a large drop in satisfaction with Mr Adams.
But The Irish Times/TNS MRBI poll indicates that support for Sinn Féin, at 9%, is still ahead of its vote in the last election.
The party may be more concerned with the 12% drop in satisfaction with Mr Adams. At 30% he has the lowest rate for any party leader.
Satisfaction with the Government is down one at 51%.
The Taoiseach's rating is down two to 58%; PD leader Mary Harney is down seven at 47%; Fine Gael's Enda Kenny is up one to 45%; Labour's Pat Rabbitte is down four to 45%; and Green Party leader Trevor Sargent is up two points to 35%.
Support for Fianna Fáil at 38% and Fine Gael at 22% is unchanged since January. Labour at 12% and the PDs at 3% are both down one.
The Greens are unchanged at 4%, and Others have increased their support by 4 points to 12%.
