Youth charged with murdering Northern-Irish police officer

March 24, 2009

Police in Northern Ireland have charged a 17 year old youth with the murder of police officer Stephen Carroll (48) last month, while four others are still being held. Two others were released earlier on Monday, after being questioned for a week.

The youth is also charged with membership of the Continuity IRA and possession of a firearm, according to a spokeswoman for the police in Belfast. He is to appear in court in Lisburn today. He also faces charges for collecting information of use to terrorists.

Responsibility for the shooting had been claimed on behalf of the North Armagh Battalion of the Continuity IRA in a coded message to Belfast media. The murder was widely condemned by political parties in Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK and Ireland.