Questioning period of ex-IRA chief over McConville murder extended

A former leader of the IRA in Belfast was still being held in police custody today in connection with the 1972 abduction and murder of Jean McConville.

The 77-year-old man who was arrested on Tuesday morning was being questioned by detectives at Antrim PSNI station.

Detectives from the PSNI’s serious crime branch were today granted additional time by a court to question the pensioner who is from west Belfast.

They have until tomorrow night to continue interviewing the suspect

The arrested man was a senior IRA commander at the time that Ms McConville, a mother of ten-children from the Divis area of west Belfast, was abducted.

Her body was recovered from Shelling Hill beach in August 2003.

PA