Talented reporter Ms McKee, 29, was fatally hit by a stray bullet aimed at police during violent riots in Londonderry last week
THE so-called New IRA has this morning admitted the murder of journalist Lyra McKee and offered "full and sincere apologies” - as a 57-year-old woman was arrested over the shooting.
Ms McKee, 29, was shot dead beside a police armoured car while covering riots in Londonderry last week.
She was hit by a stray bullet aimed at officers in the Creggan area of the city.
This morning, the Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed a 57-year-old woman was arrested under the Terrorism Act in connection with young journalist's murder.
It came after the terror group said in a statement that it admits responsibility for Lyra's tragic death - which it insists was accidental.
But it also blamed what it called "British crown forces" for "provoking" the violent riots - which saw cars burned and dozens of petrol bombs tossed at police.
The statement, given to the Irish News using a recognised code word, read: "On Thursday night following an incursion on the Creggan by heavily armed British crown forces which provoked rioting, the IRA deployed our volunteers to engage.
In the course of attacking the enemy Lyra McKee was tragically killed while standing beside enemy forces
New IRA
"We have instructed our volunteers to take the utmost care in future when engaging the enemy, and put in place measures to help ensure this.
"In the course of attacking the enemy Lyra McKee was tragically killed while standing beside enemy forces.
"The IRA offer our full and sincere apologies to the partner, family and friends of Lyra McKee for her death."
Lyra, a talented reporter who had just been commissioned to write two books on paramilitaries in Northern Ireland, will be buried in Belfast today.
Hundreds are expected to attend the service at St Anne's Cathedral following a mass outpouring of grief and anger across the province.
More than 140 people have contacted police with information since Lyra's death in what officers described as an unprecedented public reaction.
Det Supt Jason Murphy said yesterday the investigation to find her killer is continuing at a "rapid pace".
Mr Murphy added: "We've had a massive public positive response to the investigation since Thursday evening.
"This was an attack on the community.
"Lyra, tragically, was a random victim and I need the public to continue to support us."
Earlier yesterday, friends of the journalist protested by defacing an office belonging to a dissident republican group by putting red handprints on the walls of its headquarters in Londonderry.
A number of Ms McKee's friends walked to Junior McDaid House in Derry, where they used a pot of red paint to place handprints on the side of the office walls.
A group of six men, understood to be members of republican group Saoradh - who are associated with the New IRA - stood outside the building during the protest.
The New IRA is one of the largest dissident republican splinter groups in Ulster.
It formed after the IRA ceasefire from armed groups who rejected the move to political power-sharing in the Good Friday Agreement - signed 21 years ago this month.
The New IRA recently claimed responsibility for parcel bombs sent to London and Glasgow in March.
And it was behind a huge car bomb that detonated outside a court house in Londonderry in January.
Police believe the violence last week was orchestrated in response to an earlier house search by officers.
The searches were aimed at averting imminent trouble associated with this week's anniversary of the Easter Rising - the 1916 armed rebellion against British forces that led to the formation of the Republic of Ireland.
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