Two men are charged over the dissident republican murder of the journalist Lyra McKee in Londonderry

The 29-year-old was shot dead by dissident republicans in Londonderry in April 2019 as she observed rioting in the Creggan area of the city.

The extremist group that styles itself the New IRA was responsible for the killing.

The two men who have been charged with her murder are aged 21 and 33 years.

They have also been charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life, riot, possession of petrol bombs, throwing petrol bombs and arson.

The 33-year-old has additionally been charged with robbery.

A third man, aged 20, has been charged with riot, possession of petrol bombs and throwing petrol bombs.

All three are expected to appear before Londonderry Magistrates Court via video link on Friday morning.

A 19-year-old man also arrested during the same operation has been released pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis welcomed the development.

“The tragic murder of Lyra McKee was a reminder that a small minority of individuals continue to seek to cause harm to communities,” he said.

“This was an utterly senseless and shocking crime and I applaud the continued work of the PSNI to bring those responsible to justice.

“The fact that serious charges have been brought forward, which includes two individuals being charged with Lyra’s murder, is to be strongly welcomed and is testimony to that hard work.

“I would like to thanks the PSNI and security partners for their dedication to keeping the people of Northern Ireland safe.”

——— ———

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Ben Lowry

Acting Editor