SINN FEIN’S fitness for government was challenged yesterday by the family of Robert McCartney — who they say was murdered by the IRA — after it emerged that an election candidate for the Provisionals’ political wing was in the Belfast bar on the night he was killed.

Cora Groogan, who stood for Sinn Fein in the Mid-Ulster constituency for the Stormont Assembly in November 2003, has admitted that she was in Magennis’s pub, where a row escalated into the killing of the Catholic father-of-two from the staunchly republican Short Strand district of the city.

She has denied seeing anything inside the bar, including Mr McCartney’s friend, Brendan Devine, having his throat cut.

More than 70 others who were in the bar have all said they saw nothing, most claiming they were in the lavatories at the time.

Ms Groogan said: “I got to the bar about 10pm that Sunday. I was there for a short while. There was a commotion in the bar but I witnessed nothing and left shortly after 11pm.”

In line with Sinn Fein’s advice, her statement had been passed to the Police Ombudsman, she said.

Gerry Adams, the Sinn Fein president, announced more than a week ago that he had passed the names of seven party members to the Police Ombudsman via his solicitor. The seven have been suspended from the party “without prejudice” while the murder inquiry continues.

Catherine McCartney, one of five sisters of the dead man who have launched a campaign for justice, said that the issue raised concerns about Sinn Fein’s attitude to democracy and justice. “Ultimately this person [Ms Groogan] could have been sitting as a government minister, overlooking policing and justice.”

She said she would leave it to people to analyse the statement and decide for themselves.

“This is an accountable political party. I think people are intelligent enough to figure out themselves whether this is the type of party they want running the country.”

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