Man released over Real IRA death

One man has been released by gardaí investigating the fatal shooting of a member of the Real IRA in a pub car park in Co Meath on Wednesday

The man in his 30s was released this afternoon and gardaí will send a file to the Director of Public Prosections.

Peter Butterly (35), a father of three from Cortown, Togher, Dunleer, Co Louth, was shot dead in the car park of the Huntsman Inn in Gormanston at about 2.30pm while under surveillance by armed gardai.

After he was shot, four suspects fled in a car but were stopped by gardai at the Balscadden Road not far from the pub. A fifth man was arrested nearby. A handgun was recovered.

Four men remain in custody as gardaí continue to question them in relation to the murder.

Mr Butterly was due to stand trial next Wednesday on charges of membership of an illegal organisation, namely the Real IRA. He was free on bail.

He had gone to the car park for a meeting with others from the Real IRA, of which he was a regional commander.

However, the Real IRA has been feuding internally since the shooting dead of key figure Alan Ryan last September. Yesterday the group of men turned on Mr Butterly as part of that feud and shot him as he sat in his car in the pub car park. He staggered from the vehicle, then collapsed and died.

Members of the Emergency Response Unit were in the immediate vicinity, keeping Mr Butterly under surveillance because his life had been threatened, and also to gather information on whom he was meeting.