Sean Kelly Freed

It has been announced that Seán Kelly, the IRA Shankill bomber who was returned to jail in controversial circumstances, has been freed.

Mr Kelly had been serving life sentences for his part in the bomb attack that killed nine civilians and his accomplice, but was freed early under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

The move comes amid speculation of an imminent IRA statement.

Mr Kelly was given a temporary release pending application to the Sentence Review Commission.

This is a surprising development and surely confirms that an IRA statement is indeed imminent.