Consequences ‘dire and grim’ says Robinson

The consequences for Sinn Féin will be “dire and grim” if Chief Constable Hugh Orde confirms IRA involvement in the £22 million Northern Bank robbery last month, said DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson.

The East Belfast MP was responding on Friday morning to speculation in advance of Mr Orde's meeting with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Policing Board. In a statement Mr Orde later did confirm that he believed that the republican paramiliary group were implicated in £26 million Northern Bank raid.

Mr Robinson said: “When this robbery took place, I warned that, if the IRA was involved, it would be a lethal blow to Sinn Féin’s position within the process. It is time for the Chief Constable to come clean and tell us what he knows about republican involvement in the Northern Bank raid.

“As speculation continues to mount about the role of the Provisional IRA in the biggest bank robbery ever, Hugh Orde must now tell us about the connections of any and all believed to be involved."

However, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams dismissed Mr Robinson’s accusations as “outrageous”.

The West Belfast MP said he believed the IRA when it said it had nothing to do with the robbery.

“From the beginning I held the view that the IRA was not involved in that robbery,” Mr Adams said. “The IRA has said it wasn’t involved. I believe that to be the case.

“I have spoken to the British and Irish governments. I told both that Sinn Féin will not countenance any attempt by the DUP, or by the governments or by any one else, to demonise and criminalise this party.

“The two governments need to think long and hard about whose agenda is being served by accusations, mainly from the DUP, attacking Sinn Féin and seeking to link our party to allegations of IRA involvement in the Northern Bank robbery,” he added.

(MB/SP)