Arrest made in GAA murder inquiry

Police investigating the loyalist murder of GAA man Seán Brown in 1997 have arrested a man for questioning in England.

Police investigating the loyalist murder of GAA man Seán Brown in 1997 have arrested a man for questioning in England.

Mr Brown (61), a father of six, was abducted by the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) as he locked up the Wolfe Tone GAA club in Bellaghy, Co Derry. His body was later found beside his burned-out car a few miles away in Randalstown, Co Antrim.

The arrest of the 44-year-old man from Northern Ireland, was made in Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Police searched other premises in connection with the investigation, including two houses and a business premises at Arbury Road - all in Nuneaton.

The original RUC investigation into Mr Brown's murder was the subject of strong criticism by the police ombudsman whose investigators evaluated the police response at the time, following complaints.

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Nuala O'Loan's office reported that the RUC handling was severely deficient. She claimed the RUC inquiry had not been "efficiently and properly carried out" and that "no earnest effort was made to identify those who had carried out the murder".

Following meetings between Sir Hugh Orde, chief constable of the PSNI, and members of the Brown family, a new investigation involving detectives from outside police services working alongside the PSNI has begun.

Last month, police officers investigating the murder arrested nine people and searched dozens of properties in three Northern counties. All were subsequently released without charge.

Officers connected to the Organised Crime Taskforce carried out the searches in Armagh, Antrim and Tyrone.

Detectives were also conducting searches for loyalist money-laundering operations, but police say this is not linked to the Brown murder. A further four arrests were made under proceeds of crime legislation.

Recently, the BBC's Crimewatch programme reconstructed Mr Brown's murder and included appeals for information from the Church of Ireland primate, Dr Robin Eames, and poet and family friend Séamus Heaney.

The PSNI is hopeful the fresh appeals, the new information in the BBC programme about Mr Brown's whereabouts on the night of his murder, and the new searches will advance the investigation.