Kevin McGuigan murder: Man in court charged with firearms offence

Updated

A 53-year-old man arrested in connection with the murder of a former IRA member is due to appear in court charged with possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Kevin McGuigan, a father of nine, was gunned down in east Belfast in a suspected feud between former IRA members.

The accused will appear at Lisburn Magistrates' Court.

Detectives have made a series of arrests in the wake of the murder last week.

The latest saw a 26-year-old man detained in Co Antrim on Wednesday. A 49-year-old man arrested earlier on Wednesday remains in police custody.

Three other men - including IRA Shankill bomber Sean Kelly - and a woman have been released unconditionally.

Mr McGuigan, 53, was hit a number of times at point-blank range in front of his wife Dolores outside their home in Comber Court in the republican Short Strand last Wednesday.

He was suspected by some in the republican movement of involvement in the murder of former IRA leader Gerard "Jock" Davison in the nearby Markets area of Belfast three months ago.

There has been widespread speculation that his killing was a revenge attack by Mr Davison's one-time republican associates.

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