Real IRA gun victims named

The two murdered sappers, both in their early 20s, were wearing desert fatigues and just hours away from leaving for Afghanistan.

Gordon Brown today visited Northern Ireland, travelling to the scene of the shooting and meeting political leaders for crisis talks.

The Prime Minister praised the bravery of the soldiers, declaring Northern Ireland's political process "will not and can never be shaken".

Praising the dead soldiers as "magnificent" Brigadier George Norton today described the attacks as "callous and clinical". He said the soldiers' bags had been packed and they were shot as they ordered a final pizza before travelling to Helmand Province for a tour of duty.

The shootings left two other soldiers badly wounded. Two pizza delivery men were also hit, one critically. Security chiefs believe the gunmen were prepared to murder all six in front of the main gates of the Massereene Barracks at Antrim. At one stage the killers stood over their victims and fired a second volley.

Tributes were today paid to Sapper Quinsey, aged 23. Lt Chris Smith, 2 Troop Commander 25 Field Squadron said: "He was a humorous and willing soldier. He had a dry sense of humour and a thick Brummie accent making him stand out from the crowd."

Both Sapper Quinsey and 21-year-old Sapper Azimkar, from 38 Engineer Regiment, were unarmed when they were gunned down outside the base on Saturday night. They were both due to fly to Afghanistan to serve for six months alongside more than 100 Territorial Army troops from the West Midlands and Staffordshire belonging to the 4th Battalion of the Mercian Regiment.

The Real IRA, which claimed responsibility, is the same organisation that killed 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, in the bombing of Omagh, Co Tyrone, in August 1998.