Murphy says bank raid 'deeply damaging' to peace process

The Secretary of State for Nothern Ireland, Paul Murphy, has today told the House of Commons that the impact of December's Northern Bank robbery is "deeply damaging" to the peace process.

In a statement on the £26.5 million robbery, Mr Murphy said PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde had briefed him fully on the background and that the Chief Constable did not rush his judgement to attribute the robbery to the Provisional IRA.

He said: "Since the Chief Constable’s statement, there has been much comment about the impact of these developments on the political process in Northern Ireland. I cannot hide my own judgement that the impact is deeply damaging.

"The Chief Constable’s public remarks were necessarily constrained by the ongoing investigation. He has briefed me fully on the background which led him to make the statement he did. I have no doubt that the Chief Constable’s opinion is well-founded."

Mr Murphy said that the PSNI thought five groups could have been responsible for the robbery, but that the Chief Constable's statement had been made "only when a great deal of evidence had been sifted".

Mr Murphy said that he would be discussing with the Irish Government the timescale in which the next report from the Independent Monitoring Commission should be made.

He added: "I cannot forecast with certainty when it will prove possible to re-establish an inclusive power-sharing executive, which the Government continues to believe provides the best long-term guarantee of peace and stability. We shall not abandon our commitment to that ultimate goal."

However, he said that without "the required responses from Sinn Fein and the Provisional IRA" he could not see a way to "reinvigorate" political talks.

He said that the House would need to "consider how best in the changed circumstances to bring pressure to bear on the republican movement to complete the transition to exclusively peaceful and democratic means, including any penalties that might be applied to Sinn Fein".

In the next two weeks further talks will be held with the Northern Ireland political parties to hear their assessments of the current position. This will include what he said was the "appropriateness" of paying salaries and allowances to MLAs.

East Belfast DUP MP Peter Robinson demanded that the Secretary of State specify the Provisional IRA as a terrorist organisation in light of their recent activities.

Mr Robinson said: “It is clear that following Florida, Colombia, Stormont, and Castlereagh, as well as the 22 murders committed by the IRA during its so-called ceasefire, their having engaged in 250 shootings and 400 beatings and now a £26.5 million bank raid, there is a powerful reason for the Secretary of State to end his tolerance of IRA behaviour."

SDLP Deputy Leader Dr Alasdair McDonnell said the real reason Sinn Féin would not sign up to policing was "because the IRA wants to be involved in organised crime". He said the Northern Bank raid had put that "beyond doubt".

Earlier today, Sinn Féin Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness said he rejected "outright" accusations of "double-dealing and dishonesty".

(SP)