Real IRA gun attack captured on CCTV

The Real IRA gun attack which killed two British soldiers outside a barracks in Co Antrim was captured on CCTV, PSNI detectives…

The Real IRA gun attack which killed two British soldiers outside a barracks in Co Antrim was captured on CCTV, PSNI detectives said today.

Detectives are currently examining footage from various cameras located around the entrance to the Massereene base in Antrim where masked gunmen struck on Saturday night.

Asked whether they had been caught on camera, Detective Chief Superintendent Derek Williamson said: “The CCTV footage from the barracks here is being examined and that is one part of that inquiry.”

The victims of attack were today named as Sapper Mark Quinsey (23) from Birmingham, and Sapper Patrick Azimkar (21) from Wood Green, north London, both of 38 Engineer Regiment.

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Two other servicemen and two pizza deliverymen - one named as 19-year-old local Anthony Watson and the other a 32-year-old Polish national - were also seriously injured in the shooting.

British army bomb disposal experts continue to examine a car believed to be the getaway vehicle which was left abandoned on a nearby country road.

The Vauxhall was found on the Ranaghan Road near Randalstown around an hour and a half after the attack on Saturday night.

An attempt to set the car on fire was unsuccessful. It is now likely to contain vital forensic clues as to the identity of the terrorists.

Mr Williamson added: "That vehicle is subject to an examination by an ammunition technical officer.

"As soon as we are happy that that is safe forensic officers will move forward and examine that. It is for me at this point a key line of inquiry. The vehicle has not been burned out and we hope that there will be some clues gained within."

The detective appealed for information about the car — a green Vauxhall Cavalier registration TDZ 7309.

Police want to hear from anyone who saw it or a second car in that area to come forward.

Mr Williamson revealed that one of the first motorists to come across the murder scene was an off-duty nurse who, he said, had administered vital lifesaving treatment to some of the injured lying in front of the base.

Mr Williamson reiterated his appeal for information and challenged those people who knew the gunmen to examine their consciences.

"We need people to come forward with tangible information so that we can take statements and hopefully we can catch the people who were responsible for the deaths of two very young soldiers (and put them) where they belong before the courts and hopefully in jail."

He added: "We are making progress. It is very much early days in the investigation but again I have to reiterate we need public support and we need people with information, particularly people who clearly will know who exactly was involved here to take a courageous step and come forward to provide us with the information that they know.

"We will do everything in our power to investigate that and protect those people who come forward."