N.Ireland court acquits men over McCartney murder

BELFAST (Reuters) - A Northern Ireland court acquitted three men on Friday of involvement in the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney, whose killing three years ago sparked international outrage.

McCartney, 33, a father of two, was stabbed to death in a brawl outside a Belfast bar in January 2005, prompting his sisters to launch a campaign for justice that took them to the White House, where they met President George W. Bush.

Judge John Gillen acquitted the three men on Friday at Belfast Crown Court of all charges.

In the past, members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) were among those accused of involvement in the killing of McCartney, who lived in a predominantly nationalist area of Belfast.

Facing what they called a conspiracy of silence from witnesses due to IRA intimidation, McCartney's family heaped pressure on the guerrilla group to disarm and end their 30-year campaign to oust Britain from Northern Ireland.

After the killing, the IRA expelled three members and even offered to kill those responsible -- an offer rejected out of hand by the McCartney family.

The guerrilla group, which has never named the ousted members, pledged in 2005 to dump its arms and pursue a united Ireland through peaceful means.

Passing judgment on Friday, Gillen said: "I have no doubt that the investigation into this crime will continue and if new evidence emerges in connection with this murder no one, including for that matter even the accused in this trial, will be beyond the reach of potential prosecution."

One of the defendants, Terence Malachy Davison, had been charged with murder, while Joseph Gerard Fitzpatrick had been charged with assault. All three, including James McCormick, were charged with affray. All had denied any wrongdoing.

One of McCartney's sisters, Catherine McCartney, said she was not surprised at the verdict given the lack of evidence presented.

"The police have ... a wealth of intelligence, but they can turn none of it into evidence because people refuse to come forward and stand in a court."

The police said some people had worked to "frustrate and thwart" its investigation, but added that Friday's judgment may prompt more witnesses to come forward.

"If anything, the judgment reinforces the fact that the police service needs the support of the community if justice is to be served," it said in a statement.

Last year political foes agreed to share power in a regional government, cementing a 1998 peace deal that largely ended 30 years of bloodshed in which more than 3,600 people were killed.

Many members of Northern Ireland's Catholic minority however remain wary of the province's authorities which in the past had been dominated by the Protestant majority who want the province to remain British.

(Writing by Andras Gergely and Jonathan Saul;)