'Spy' Donaldson's Inquest Postponed

An inquest into the brutal shotgun murder of alleged Sinn Féin 'spy' Denis Donaldson has been adjourned for the fifth time in the Irish Republic.

At the request of Gardaí the decision on the holding of an inquest into the murder has been postponed for the fifth time.

That's even though the family of Mr Donaldson criticised the fact that an inquest had yet to take place more than four years after his death.

But, Counsel for the State, Stephen Byrne, argued the Gardaí were dealing with "a very complex investigation".

The high-ranking Sinn Fein man was killed in 2006 just months after publicly admitting his role as a Special Branch and MI5 informer.

Now, the police said the inquest needed to be put back because their murder investigation was making progress, a claim that the lawyer of Mr Donaldson's family has rejected.

Ironically, too, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has hit out at Gardaí over their "continued opposition," which he described as "unacceptable and inexcusable".

"There has been an unnecessary delay in setting a date for the inquest into the killing of Denis Donaldson. This has caused further and needless distress to the Donaldson family," Mr Adams said.

Mr Donaldson had been Sinn Fein's top administrator at Stormont and the news of his double identity threw his party colleagues into crisis when he confessed to being a paid spy for the RUC's Special Branch and for MI5 for 20 years.

Four months later, his killers forced their way into his remote cottage near Glenties in Co Donegal in April 2006, armed with a sledgehammer and a shotgun.

Mr Donaldson was shot four times as he tried to flee and died from his injuries.

(BMcC/GK)