The family of the late IRA hunger striker Raymond McCreesh have rejected suggestions he was involved in the 1976 Kingsmill massacre.
In 2011 the PSNI Historical Enquiries Team said the Provisional IRA was responsible for the “purely sectarian” and “calculated slaughter” of 10 Protestants on January 5th 1976.
McCreesh, a South Armagh IRA member, who died on hunger strike back in 1981, was named as someone linked to a rifle used in the shootings.
His name has been back in public focus following the fallout from Sinn Féin MP Barry McElduff’s controversial tweet on the anniversary of the murders which was interpreted as a insult to victims.
On Monday morning Mr McElduff announced his intention to resign as West Tyrone MP over the hurt his actions had caused to families of the victims and survivor Alan Black.
Also on Monday morning, a statement from the McCreesh family was issued - prior to the announcement from Mr McElduff that he was resigning over the tweet controversy - saying they did not wish to add to Kingsmill family pain and suffering but that “Raymond was not involved”.
“The family of the late Raymond McCreesh does not wish to add to the pain and suffering of the families of those who died in the Kingsmill massacre or to Alan Black who thankfully survived.
“The McCreesh family is painfully aware that there is no legislation to protect a person who is dead.
“Anyone can say anything they like about someone who is dead.
“The family has on many occasions refuted the accusation that Raymond was involved in the Kingsmill atrocity.
“The family repeats that the same evidence on which the present accusations are being made was available while Raymond was alive.
“The fact that the authorities never questioned, prosecuted or charged him in this connection speaks for itself.
“The McCreesh family knows that Raymond was not involved in the Kingsmill massacre.”