Items seized by Allen murder probe police

A series of searches have been carried out on homes on both banks of the River Foyle in recent weeks and police have now confirmed that items were seized for examination.

Three homes were raided in the city on Monday of this week and the Sentinel asked the PSNI on Tuesday for details amid claims that a quantity of drugs was found, and the searches may have been drugs related.

However. the PSNI response made no mention of drugs but said: “The PSNI carried out searches at three houses yesterday and a number of items were seized. This was at the request of AGS who are investigating the murder of Andrew Allen in Buncrana in February.”

Meanwhile Garda Detective Inspector Pat O’Donnell says the investigation is “progressing satisfactorily with the valued assistance of members of the public who have come forward to date.”

It is believed that there has been a major response to appeals for information.

Mr Allen (24) was shot dead in front of his girlfriend at their home in Links View Park in Buncrana on February 9.

The father-of-two, originally from the Waterside area of Londonderry, was murdered by the vigilante group, Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) who claimed their so-called ‘Donegal unit’ carried out the killing.

Although he was ordered to leave the city with five others several months earlier, no one has yet admitted responsibility for that threat to Mr Allen. At the time, a number of parents said all terror groups, including RAAD, had denied responsibility.

Inspector O’Donnell is now appealing for specific information relating to the car used in the murder.

He said: “I now wish to make an appeal to any member of the public who observed the grey Vauxhall Cavalier registration number SJI 2117 either parked or being driven during the month before it was used in the murder of Andrew Allen on February 9, 2012.

“This car is distinctive in that it was clean for its age and was equipped with a tow hitch, a sunroof and was missing a front wheel trim,” he says.

“I would like to thank members of the public for their help to date in this investigation and I look forward to their continued assistance into the future.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room at Buncrana on 074 93 20540 or the Garda Confidential line 1800 666 111.

At the weekend a man was arrested in Co Donegal by police investigating the murder. He is believed to live in Londonderry.

He was released on Tuesday and a file is being prepared for the Republic’s Director of Public Prosecutions. Earlier this month, gardai in County Donegal arrested a Northern Ireland man in his 50s in connection with the murder.

He was also released without charge and police said a file had been prepared for the DPP.

On the night of Mr Allen’s murder, three men went up to the house at Links View Park and two fired a number of shots through a downstairs bedroom window.

Mr Allen had been living at the house, which belongs to his partner’s sister, for about six months. His partner was in the property when the shooting happened but was not physically injured.

A car, which police said had not been stolen, was found burnt out a short distance away at Fahan shortly after the attack.