The funeral has taken place in Castlewellan, County Down, of Matthew Burns, who was shot dead outside the town on Thursday night. The 26-year-old father of one from Burrenbridge was a passenger in a car driven by his brother Patrick, who was wounded in the attack.
Police have not ruled out the possibility of a drugs link to the killing and the Chief Constable said yesterday they were examining whether the IRA was involved.
At Requiem Mass at St Patrick's church in Castlewellan, the Parish Priest Fr Albert McNally said that the community could make no excuses for self-appointed executioners. They did not know if they acted from hate or revenge or for profit, he told mourners. He said they had a right to look for a society where people were entitled to fair and accountable policing.
They now lived in a time where it was possible for an Ombudsman to challenge a Chief Constable, so there was no excuse whatsoever for this paramilitary-type death penalty, he said. Mr Burns was buried afterwards in Aughlisnafin cemetery.
