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Former Sinn Fein chief and British spy murdered

A Garda police officer secures tape at the scene in County Donegal, Ireland, yesterday, near where the body of Denis Donaldson was found murdered on Tuesday. PHOTO: AP

When Denis Donaldson's past as a British spy emerged last December, he probably feared the traditional punishment meted out to informers: a bullet in the back of the head.

Even though the Provisional movement announced last summer that it had destroyed all its weapons and was following an exclusively political course, Donaldson decided to leave the family home in west Belfast. Some republicans had vowed that he would never be allowed to return to live in the city.

On Tuesday night it appeared his past had finally caught up with him. Donaldson, 56, was found dead in a squalid cottage in a valley in County Donegal, where he had taken refuge. Police found his body at 5pm after a tip-off from a neighbor. Donaldson's body had been mutilated.

The repercussions of his death could destabilize attempts to reinstate the power-sharing government and cause further sectarian tensions.

The former head of Sinn Fein's administration in Stormont had escaped to the Republic to begin a new, hermit-like existence but was tracked to his bolthole a few weeks ago by Hugh Jordan, a journalist for the Sunday World.

"He looked like a hunted animal," said Jordan last night. "He was extremely depressed. The nerves in his eyes were trembling."

The reporter also noted that Donaldson's previous swagger had disappeared and that he spent his days drawing water from a well, cooking over an open fire and reading.

"He seemed like a man who didn't think he would come to any harm. He did not see his life to be in any danger, but felt the only future he had was where he was, living in that dreadfully squalid situation," said Jordan. "It's desperate that something like this happened. He was alone and threatened no-one. He was no harm to anybody."

Although the article disclosed Donaldson's new location -- in County Donegal, an area of the Republic of Ireland known as the Costa del Provo because of the number of IRA members who have holiday homes there -- he had decided to stay put.

Those who had been in contact with him in recent weeks said he had not shown any indication of contemplating suicide.

When he was photographed earlier this year outside the cottage he appeared to be in reasonably good health.
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