Catholic Murdered In Sectarian Attack

Kevin Brendan McDaid was killed yards from his home in the Somerset Drive area after Rangers beat Celtic to the Scottish league title on Sunday.

Six men have been arrested by police investigating his murder.

A 46-year-old man was also assaulted in nearby Pates Lane.

He is in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

The police increased patrols in the Derry City after further trouble this afternoon.

Detective Chief Inspector Frankie Taylor said their main line of inquiry was a "sectarian motive".

He said Mr McDaid was a youth worker who had tried to bring both sides of the community together, and was "well-known and well-liked".

He said the police had been in the area at the time of the attack, and had been aware of disturbances after the football matches.

Inspector Taylor said the attack on the 46-year-old man, who is critically ill in hospital, was being treated as attempted murder.

"We may very well be looking at a second murder here," he said. Northern Ireland Security Minister Paul Goggins appealed to people in the area to help police "in bringing his killers to justice".

"I would appeal to the community for calm - sectarianism has no place in Northern Ireland and those who carried out this vicious murder have no place in society," he said.

The deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, said a "sizeable group of loyalists" were responsible for the killing and the assault.

"They decided it was a good idea to attack a Catholic area," he said.

"I'm absolutely dismayed at this and I think at this very, very important time, it's important that people in the community identify those responsible and co-operate with the police to bring those murderers to justice."

The East Londonderry DUP MP, Gregory Campbell, also condemned the murder. "There has to be total condemnation of this killing as we would do for all other killings, no matter when or where they occurred or who the victims were," he said.

"There ought to be the fullest possible co-operation between everyone in the area and the police in order to bring those responsible to justice."

Ulster Unionist assembly member David McClarty said it was too early to say who was involved.

"We are in a situation here where we have to moderate our language and not go throwing blame where no proof has been given as to who was responsible for this incident."

"There is an element of sectarianism in the area but the vast majority of people in the Killowen/Heights area of Coleraine want to live in peace and harmony with their next door neighbors," he said.