IRA again rejects blame for Belfast man's murder

"The IRA has spelled out its position in relation to the killing of Robert McCartney. It was wrong, it was murder, it was a crime. But it was not carried out by the IRA, nor was it carried out on behalf of the IRA," the group said.

In its traditional annual Easter message, the Catholic group -- the armed wing of the Sinn Fein political party -- said it had "moved quickly to deal with" those who had been involved in the January 30 killing.

McCartney, a 33-year-old father of two, was beaten and stabbed to death after a pub brawl in a Catholic neighborhood of Belfast. His family claims IRA members were behind the murder, that they then destroyed evidence and then intimidated witnesses, keeping them from coming forward to police.

The IRA said it had tried to help the McCartney family, referring to its offer earlier this month to "shoot" those responsible for the murder.