The family of Denis Donaldson, the Sinn Féin official who last year admitted to being a British spy, have said they believe the IRA was not responsible for his murder in Co Donegal.
The 56-year-old was found dead with shotgun wounds three days ago at a remote cottage.
In a statement released this morning, the Donaldson family said they acknowledged what they called the IRA's speedy dissociation from the murder, which they believe to be true.
On Wednesday, the IRA said it had 'no involvement whatsoever' in the death of Mr Donaldson.
The Donaldson family said they did not know who murdered him, but claimed the difficult situation they had been put in was the direct result of Special Branch and British Intelligence activities.
Earlier in the week, Sinn Féin's Chief Negotiator, Martin McGuinness, said he was very angry about the killing of Mr Donaldson and described the death as an attack on the peace process.
Mr McGuinness said Sinn Féin absolutely dissociated itself from the killing and said whoever carried it out was hostile to the concept of peace in Ireland.
Mr Donaldson, who was the former head of Sinn Féin's office at Stormont, had been living in Donegal since last December when he admitted to being a British spy for 20 years.
