Diarmuid O'Neill's brother gets bail, four others still questioned

SCOTLAND Yard released one of the five suspected IRA men last night on police bail after he had been questioned for five days…

SCOTLAND Yard released one of the five suspected IRA men last night on police bail after he had been questioned for five days following the discovery of an arms cache.

Mr Shane O'Neill (23) was arrested on Monday at his house in London. He has been released on bail pending further inquiries. His older brother, Diarmuid (27), living at a separate address in Hammersmith, was shot dead by police officers during the security operation.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said the four other men, who are being questioned by anti terrorist officers in Paddington Green Station, can be held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act until tomorrow before being charged.

After his release, Shane's parents, Mr Eoghan and Mrs Theresa O'Neill, issued a statement through their solicitor, Ms Gareth Peirce, describing their relief that he had been freed on bail and their grief at the death of their son, Diarmuid.

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"We are relieved that our youngest son, Shane, has been released from custody and that we have him with us safely. Our eldest son, Diarmuid, was never arrested; he can never be tried, nor can he be acquitted or convicted other than by the press who have not waited to have a full and proper picture before judging him. Instead, those who accused him took the law into their own hands and killed him."

"Diarmuid was a kind, unselfish and loving son, whom we loved dearly all his life. If he had been tried, and in turn convicted, we would still have loved him deeply and supported him as a family. We thank everyone who has sought to understand the whole situation in which our family finds itself, and who know that we will miss Diarmuid desperately and we will grieve for him for the rest of our lives."

The family statement did not contain any denials or references. to media reports, which have been printed throughout the week, that Diarmuid O'Neill was convicted of stealing £75,000 sterling from his employers, the Bank of Ireland, in 1989.

At his trial police said £34,000 had been channelled to the IRA via a bank account in Belfast. Diarmuid was sentenced to 12 months at a young offenders' institution and served five months.

It is not known whether Shane O'Neill's bail conditions will prevent him attending his brother's funeral. It is understood that a date has not been set because the O'Neill family are still considering legal advice on whether to request a second, independent post mortem examination.

A representative of the Police Complaints Authority, which is investigating the circumstances surrounding Diarmuid O'Neill's death, spent 30 minutes inspecting the scene of the shooting yesterday.

Ten tonnes of explosives, two pounds of Semtex, other bomb making equipment and several guns and ammunition were discovered by police during another raid. It is understood that forensic scientists have been able to link Diarmuid O'Neill to this haul, which was the largest in Britain.