London - Colin Duffy, reportedly a prominent former member of the now inactive Irish Republican Army (IRA) was charged with the murder of two British soldiers in Northern Ireland three weeks ago.

The 41-year-old was also charged with five counts of attempted murder and illegal possession of firearms, police said. He is due in court on Friday.

Duffy is the only person charged with the murder of the two British soldiers who were gunned down outside Massereene barracks near Belfast in what marked a return to terrorist violence in Northern Ireland 11 years after the signing of the peace agreement.

A 21-year-old man was charged Thursday in connection with failing to provide information on the March 9 murder of Stephen Carroll, a 48-year-old police officer in the town of Craigavon, Northern Ireland.

Two men, aged 17 and 37, have been charged with murder, but both deny the charges.

The Real IRA and the Continuity IRA, both splinter groups of the now inactive IRA, claimed responsibility for the two attacks. (dpa)