Murphy 'deeply disapointed' by IRA involvement in robbery

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Paul Murphy has said he is “deeply disappointed” that the IRA continues to involve itself in criminal activity.

Speaking while in New York, Mr Murphy said that the Chief Constable had briefed him on the ongoing police investigation into the Northern Bank robbery.

He said: “I am deeply disappointed that the Provisional IRA continue to engage in criminal activity despite the significant progress that has been made over the last few months in the political process.

“As the Prime Minister said on Thursday, there are no grounds for any misunderstanding: there can be absolutely no place for terrorist activity and there can be no place for criminal activity. The police will follow the evidence wherever it leads and anyone with any information should pass it to them.”

Mr Murphy also gave his assessment of the impact of the bank robbery on the political process. “Throughout my time as Secretary of State, I have always made clear that peace and stability in Northern Ireland rests on the development of the necessary trust between the communities.

“Without an end to all paramilitary activity, including criminal activity of all kinds, we shall not be able to re-establish that trust. This incident is deeply damaging. The two governments will reflect carefully on how to take matters forward and to sustain the substantial progress that had been made since the talks at Leeds Castle in September.”

The Secretary of State also expressed sympathy for the families who suffered at the hands of the gang behind the robbery.

“Some people seem to think that this was a victimless crime. It was not. People were kidnapped. They were held in very distressing circumstances while this robbery was carried out. The experience must have been terrifying and traumatic,” he said.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today that he had been shaken by the revelation as talks had been continuing close to the time when the raid occurred.

(MB/SP)