Men facing IRA threat quit hiding

Two men living under the threat of IRA assassination came out of hiding yesterday. David Madigan, 20, and Liam Kearns, 24, from Newry, Co Down, who have been on the run for almost a year after terrorists ordered them to leave Northern Ireland, said they believed the IRA had lifted its death threat, made for what it called 'anti-social behaviour'.

The pair - who are not connected with any paramilitary group - emerged from a secret address to return to their home town near the border with the Republic within 36 hours of the Provisionals' murder of three men they said were informers.