IRA LINK TO SAS DEATH

PHOTOGRAPHS apparently showing a dead IRA gunman have been discovered in the car of a former SAS sniper who died in mysterious circumstances.

Ex-Coldstream Guardsman Michael Norman, 62, was found slumped at the wheel of his green BMW car in a quiet West London street three weeks ago. Mr Norman, a retired warrant officer, had been shot in the stomach. A handgun was found in the car.

Security sources say the pictures were taken near the Armagh border with the Republic 30 years ago.

Other pictures are said to relate to the so-called "Springhill massacre" when five civilians were shot dead in Belfast in July 1972.

The IRA has vowed to track down the Army snipers who opened fire that day. Mr Norman is "credited" with killing six IRA gunmen in Northern Ireland.

He later told colleagues at Sandhurst, where he was an instructor, that he was on an IRA hit-list. Former officer cadet Richard Fullerton said: "He didn't seem unduly concerned."

Police have not ruled out suicide.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "We can confirm that photographs were found in the car, but we are not going into further details re this matter."

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