Andrew Allen murder: crossborder campaign offers rewards

It is the first time that the charity in the Republic and in Northern Ireland have issued a joint appeal and thousands of posters and leaflets are to be distributed on both sides of the border over the next few days.

The 24 year old, who originally came from the Top of the Hill area, was gunned down at his home in Buncrana in February 2012.

While several people have been questioned in relation to his killing, no one has been charged.

The murder was claimed by Republican Action Against Drugs.

Andrew’s mother, Donna Smith, said she hoped this new appeal would lead to those responsible for her son’s death being brought to justice.

“To know that those who killed him are still walking about out there is hard to bear.

“But we are sure some people were involved without knowing they were to become accomplices in a murder.

“I urge those people to do the right thing and listen to their conscience.

“A father of two young children, a partner, a son, a brother, an uncle had his life taken and a family was destroyed. They should unburden themselves, even anonymously. No one has to know who gave information.

“Each day I have to live with what happened to him and it does not get easier.

“I’m hoping someone out there has a conscience and comes forward to help give us some sort of peace.”

She issued a direct plea to those with information about her son’s death to “unburden themselves”.

Donna Smith said: “Please, if you know something, ring up and tell Crimestoppers.

“Whatever it is, unburden yourselves now.

“No one need know you have spoken to anyone.

“I understand you may be scared but for those of us who cannot move on, who have not had any justice for Andrew, I’m asking you to help us.”

In an unprecedented joint appeal by Crimestoppers in both the north and south of Ireland, police have revealed they want to appeal directly to “up to 12 people” who they believe may have been involved in the planning and carrying out of the brutal murder.

Donna said: “We just hope that some kind of information will become available which will lead to those responsible being held accountable for their actions.

“The further we get from Andrew’s murder, the harder it gets.

“They say time is a healer - but for me, for those who loved Andrew, there is no healing.

“It feels like we in limbo. It feels like it just happened yesterday.”

Andrew’s murder was claimed by Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD), and a number of people have been questioned. However no one has been charged in relation to the killings.

Police have said: “While up to a dozen individuals were involved in the planning and carrying out of Andrew’s murder, police understand that some of these did not intend for the events that unfolded to lead to his death.

“An appeal is now being made directly to these individuals or any other persons involved in the planning or carrying out of this murder to take this opportunity to come forward.

Anyone with information about the killing is asked to call 0800 555 111 from the North or 1800 25 00 25 from the South.