The family of murdered Canadian George Lynch want Canada's Federal Government to pressure Bermuda to bring his killers to justice, according to reports.

Mr. Lynch was shot dead on May 5 outside a Hamilton Parish home that was the focus of an ongoing trial involving a previous mob attack at the premises.

Police described Mr. Lynch, who moved to Bermuda from Branton, Ontario, a year ago as an innocent victim and not involved in Bermuda's gang underworld.

He'd gone to the house to visit his friend Philmore Phinn, who gave evidence just days before in the case against several men accused of the mob attack.

Mr. Lynch was shot once in the chest by two masked men who arrived on a motorcycle shortly before 10.27 p.m. Police have refused to state whether the slaying was linked to the mob attack case or not.

However, two St. George's men accused in that case, Detroy Smith Jr, 24, and Allan Douglas Jr, 23, were arrested on suspicion of the Lynch murder as they left court on May 6, having been cleared of participating in the mob attack.

They were questioned before being released on Police bail, and are due to report back to Police to answer that bail next month.

In a news report on the CTV Southwestern Ontario channel, reporter Frank Lynn said: "The family says Lynch was an innocent person in the wrong place at the wrong time and he paid for it with his life."

And he continued: "The Lynch family wants the Federal Government to pressure Bermuda to bring the killers to justice."

The report also featured interviews with Mr. Lynch's grieving family, who are originally from Jamaica, and are said to believe that "gang members are the killers".

Father Leonard Lynch said: "He was a loving father and a good husband. He was a good worker".

Brother Clinton Lynch said: "(He was) just minding his own business, doing the responsible thing in life (and) you're snuffed out by people who never knew you and never will."

He added: "You know, if it doesn't stop with George, where does it stop? With a ten-year-old child? A pregnant mother?"

The news report follows previous negative publicity in Canada over the case of Rebecca Middleton, a teenager from Ontario who was raped and murdered during a vacation in Bermuda in 1996.

The Bermuda authorities have been widely criticised for botching the investigation and prosecution of two individuals in that case, and no-one has ever been brought to justice.

The Royal Gazette invited the Bermuda Police Service, Minister of Public Safety and Government House to address the issues raised by the CTV report.

A spokeswoman for the Minister, David Burch, replied: "The Government, Ministry, Minister and people of Bermuda mourn the senseless loss of life and will not be providing any further comment on the matter."

A spokesman for Government House said: "Government House is naturally concerned about all murders and shootings whether they be of Bermudians or others here.

"As for Bermuda's international reputation, it is clear that Bermuda is still a relatively safe place to live and visit in worldwide terms and the efforts of the Bermuda Police Service to bring to justice those who commit such actions will reinforce that reputation."

A spokesman for the Police said: "The investigation into the murder of George Lynch is continuing. Detectives are again appealing for any witnesses or anyone with any information about this incident to contact the Serious Crime Unit on 299-8121 or the independent 24 hour confidential Crime Stoppers Bermuda hotline on 800-8477."