In tribunale il presunto assassino di Alfredo Fusco
Trial for Belfast café murder accused
A man has been sent for trial charged with the murder of a Belfast cafe owner nearly 37 years ago.
Robert Clarke, 58, is accused of killing Catholic father-of-four Alfredo Fusco in a gun attack at his business premises in February 1973.
Clarke, of Dundrod Road, Nutts Corner, Crumlin, faces a second charge of possessing two guns and ammunition with intent to endanger life.
He was arrested in August following a new probe by the Historical Enquiries Team, a specialist police unit set up to re-examine unsolved terrorist murders in Northern Ireland.
Mr Fusco’s murder was blamed on the UDA, although the paramilitary organisation never admitted responsibility.
The 58-year-old victim, a prominent member of Belfast’s Italian community, was shot dead at his cafe on York Road, north Belfast after gunmen forced their way in and singled him out.
A pensioner who was near the scene of the attack and heard the gunfire collapsed and died from a heart attack.
Clarke spoke only to confirm he understood the charges against him during a preliminary enquiry at Belfast Magistrates Court.
District judge Fiona Bagnall granted a Public Prosecution Service application to have him returned for trial at the city’s Crown Court.
With a date still to be set, Clarke was released on continuing bail.
He has been ordered to stay at his home address, surrender his passport and report to police twice a week.
Mrs Bagnall, who was told all exhibits in the case have now been submitted, also consented to a defence application for two barristers to represent the accused.