Real IRA claim Doherty killing

Mr Doherty was a former republican prisoner at one stage was 'officer in command' of Real IRA prisoners in Portlaoise Prison. He had been jailed for his part in a robbery at the Redcastle Hotel, County Donegal, in 2002.

The 31-year-old- found murdered on the Braehead Road on Wednesday - went public in November 2009 over an alleged approach by MI5 concerning his cigarette manufacturing firm.

In January this year, Mr Doherty again contacted the same newspaper after the police searched his home.

The search came after 500,000 euros worth of cannabis was found in a house at Carrigans in County Donegal.

Mr Doherty told the newspaper that he had no involvement with the drugs and that the house belonged to a Real IRA prisoner, whom he had met in Portlaoise prison.

His body - which had been stripped - was discovered on Braehead Road, near the Irish border on the road to Letterkenny, at about 10.30pm on Wednesday.

It is believed he had been shot twice in the head.

Previously Foyle MLA Martina Anderson condemned the statement claiming the murder, saying:

"This cynical attempt to justify the murder of Kieran Doherty only compounds the hurt and grief that this organisation has inflicted on Kieran's family and the people of Derry. People would be very foolish to accept at face value the reasons put forward as by this group for its action.

"The claimed motivation for this callous murder reflects the redundant rationale that this group portrays for its very existence. It should accept that it has nothing but grief and suffering to offer society, no community support and are rejected by the vast majority of the people of Ireland."

SDLP Foyle MP Mark Durkan said: "I totally and absolutely condemn this brutal and crude murder, which is a throwback to the very worst of our past."

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Harrison said the people who murdered Mr Doherty were criminals, who had destroyed not only the victim's life, but those of his partner and his young family as well.

Last November Mr Doherty went public with a claim that MI5 had approached him stating it would hamper the development of his cigarette manufacturing business if he didn't co-operate with them.

Speaking to a local newspaper then Mr Doherty said he had four applications to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to open new premises for the firm turned down.

He claimed they had tried to recuit him as an informer and that his business had been stalled.

Mr Doherty's business partners had spent 500,000 on purchasing machinery for the plant, he claimed at the time.

He said he was originally approached by MI5 as he attempted to board a flight at Luton airport.

"I was taken into a side room by a man calling himself 'Justin', who identified himself as MI5," he claimed.

"He was able to tell me all about the history of my business and the troubles I've had with securing a licence for premises.

"We have applied on four separate occasions for a licence for premises - twice for Derry, one in Tyrone and one in Newry.

"Each time we have been rejected without reasons being given. At one meeting the Customs and Revenue representative advised us against even applying to open a site in Derry."

Mr Doherty claimed the contact was seeking information on a Cypriot business man he met.

"This is placing my entire business in danger," said Mr. Doherty.

HMRC stated at the time that it had requested further information in writing from Mr Doherty in June and August 2009 but had received no reply.

To this Mr. Doherty had stated: "We have spoken to Customs about the information they have requested.

"It concerns accounting systems and they agreed that this would follow at a later stage."

"This has only become an issue now, I think it is their get out clause. To be honest I believe the whole thing is a set-up in order to try and recruit informers," he claimed.