Denis Donaldson, former chief of Northern Ireland's Sinn Fein
party whose admission of being a British spy for 20 years had sent
shock waves across the province,was found shot dead late Tuesday
afternoon in Ireland.
His body was found near the village of Glenties in Ireland.
Police have sealed off the area for forensic inspection, Sky
news reported.
The Irish Republic Army, the para-military wing of Sinn Fein
which declared to disarmament last year, issued a statement
following the news saying it had "no involvement whatsoever" in the
shooting.
Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Fein which advocates Northern
Ireland's unification with the Irish Republic, said he was not
prepared to speculate on who might have been responsible.
Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said "whoever was responsible
for this callous act will be brought to justice as soon as
possible."
Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain said he was "completely
appalled" at this "barbaric act".
Donaldson was expelled from Sinn Fein in December after
admitting of working as a British agent in Northern Ireland for 20
years.
Donaldson, 55, was Sinn Fein's administration chief at Stormont
before he was arrested in 2002 over spying allegation.
Since his admission of spying for the British government last
December, Donaldson had moved out of his home in Belfast, Northern
Ireland, and had been living in a cottage in Ireland without
electricity or running water, said the report.
(Xinhua News Agency April 5, 2006 )
