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No evidence for McConville agent claim: O'Loan

Nuala O'Loan - Announcement expected on McConville killing
Nuala O'Loan - Announcement expected on McConville killing

Northern Ireland's Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan has confirmed that following an extensive investigation she has discovered no evidence that the murdered Belfast woman, Jean McConville, was a British agent.

SDLP leader Mark Durkan has welcomed the Ms O'Loan's findings.

However the Foyle MP accused the IRA of casting a slur on Mrs McConville's name and said it was disappointing that the authorities had also failed to clear her name.

Jean McConville, a widow and mother of ten, was killed after being abducted by the IRA from her home at Divis in west Belfast in December 1972.

Her remains were discovered buried on a Co Louth beach in August 2003 following a long campaign by her family.

After the IRA pledged to help families of the so-called 'disappeared', a number of searches took place in remote border areas for the remains of the 37-year-old and others.

A member of the public found her body when he was out for a walk in 2003.

At the time of Mrs McConville's death it was rumoured that she had been passing on information about local republicans to the security forces, using a secret radio transmitter.

Today, Ms O'Loan said she would give the McConvilles more details of her findings soon and will make those details public.