THE killing of Gino Gallagher was carefully planned and coldbloodedly executed. He had little or no time to react as his assassin moved up behind him to shoot him in the Falls Road social security office in west Belfast.
Mr Gallagher, recently installed as the new INLA leader had entered the dole office alone shortly before 11 a.m. to sign on for his weekly social security benefit.
As he was transacting his business the gunman calmly approached and shot him from behind a number of times at point blank range, according to Det Chief Supt Derek Martindale, who is leading the investigation.
One of the shots narrowly missed the female staff member dealing with Mr Gallagher, police said.
The killer then calmly walked from the public area of the office, and out onto the Falls Road.
Police believe the killer had been waiting in the office for Mr Gallagher. The gunman was described as 5 ft 3 ins in height, mid 20s to 30 years of age, and wearing a soft woollen cap, and, possibly, a pony tail wig and glasses as a disguise.
Police and medical teams arrived quickly at the dole office, but Mr Gallagher was pronounced dead at the scene. Two ambulances were used to take some of the distraught social security staff to the nearby Royal Victoria Hospital for treatment.
There was speculation in west Belfast yesterday that Mr Gallagher could have been a victim of the IRA. One police source said the RUC was investigating reports the IRA may have targeted him because it was annoyed at increasingly militant statements he had been making, and about reports that the INLA was trying to recruit IRA members.
Mr Kevin McQuillan of the IRSP denied reports circulating in west Belfast yesterday that in the past two weeks Mr Gallagher had been kidnapped by the IRA and warned to moderate his comments and activities.
Mr Bill Stewart assistant RUC chief constable for Belfast, told reporters there were strong indications the killing was part of an internal INLA feud.
He said two anonymous admissions of responsibility, which did not use a recognised code word, were regarded as spurious.
Sinn Fein described the killing as "tragic" and offered for condolences to the Gallagher family.
Baroness Denton, the North's economy minister, condemning the killing, said it proved the correctness of the British government's call for paramilitary disarmament.
Mr Steve McBride, the Alliance Party chairman, said the "vile killing" demonstrated the vital need to get the guns out of circulation.
Mr Alec Wylie, chief executive of the Social Security Agency, said the agency was appalled that the murder happened on "premises where our staff and public were at risk, particularly when the staff has kept the service going through 25 years of troubles".
