óglaigh na héireann have been named as the killers behind the murder of ex-CIRA leader Tommy Crossan.
The well-known 43-year-old was gunned down as he sat in the office of a diesel yard on the Springfield Road last month.
Sources say the killing was the result of a growing feud between ONH and the Irish Volunteers group in which Tommy had become involved. The dispute came to a head in January when ONH had ordered the group to stand down. But while IV obliged –as we reported at the time – some of its members were angered by the humilitation.
Republican sources in the Lower Falls have revealed that Tommy and three others were told specifically to cease their activity by ONH in the weeks before the murder.
“After Tommy was killed,” said our source, “another member of IV approached ONH to convince them he was finished with the IV group and all its activities. He became involved in mediation and while they said he wouldn’t be killed, he doesn’t believe it.
“Another member has simply refused to comply with the ONH order and is widely believed to be a target while a third is the most likely target if ONH are to strike again.
“The fall-out was over IV trampling on ONH’s toes with hoax alerts and the extortion of criminal gangs. It has taken a grave step with the murder and there is no guarantee it won’t happen again with these other fellas.”
To date, two people have been arrested in West Belfast by police investigating the killing, but no charges have been brought.
