The RUC say that the man, who was shot dead in Belfast early today, was probably the victim of a paramilitary-style execution. The dead man was 22 year old Charles Bennett from Upper Meadow Street in the New Lodge Area of North Belfast.
Police who went to investigate found the body of a man lying on waste ground behind the St Gall's GAA club. The man had been hit in the head by a shotgun blast and sustained horrific injuries. The alarm was raised just after one o'clock this morning, following reports of shots being heard in the vicinity of Milltown Row, a laneway running just off the Falls Road in West Belfast.
He was last seen alive at his girlfriend's flat on Sunday evening. The RUC say that Mr Bennett apparently left willingly with a number of people.
The Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams, responding to the killing of Charles Bennett, said he believed the IRA cessation was intact and he had heard nothing to the contrary to suggest anything else. He also said this was the case when asked about the recent revelation of attempted gun smuggling from the US, and he understood statements made by the prosecution alleging IRA involvement had been denied by the defence. However both incidents were causes of concern to him.
