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(Belfast) The murder of a member of an IRA paramilitary unit may have been a homophobic attack police said Monday.

The revelation that Martin Conlon was gay came as a surprise to many in the breakaway militant wing of the IRA but police said he was well known in Northern Ireland's gay community.

Conlon, 35, was abducted and gunned down in south Armagh.  

At first it was believed the killing was the result of a fall-out with members of the official IRA. Conlon was released from jail in the Republic of Ireland last year.

[...]

On Monday police said they said that while they are continuing to question his IRA associates they are now considering the possibility the murder had something to do with his sexuality.

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