Stormont 'spy-ring' case dropped

Three men arrested in connection with an alleged IRA spy ring at Stormont have had the charges against them dropped.

The arrests of Ciaran Kearney, William Mackessy and Sinn Fein's Denis Donaldson led to the collapse of the power-sharing executive in 2002. All three men claimed the case against them had been politically motivated.

At an unlisted hearing at Belfast Crown Court they were told all charges against them were being dropped. The prosecution offered no evidence "in the public interest".

In a statement on Thursday, a PSNI spokesperson said that "the entitlement of those three individuals to the presumption of innocence remains intact".

"The background to this case is that a paramilitary organisation - Provisional IRA - was actively involved in the systematic gathering of information and targeting of individuals," the spokesperson said.

"Police investigated that activity and a police operation led to the recovery of thousands of sensitive documents which had been removed from government offices. A large number of people were subsequently warned about threats to them.

"That police investigation has concluded. There are no further lines of enquiry and no individuals are being sought by the police."

Madden & Finucane Solicitors, who represent Mr Donaldson and Mr Mackessy, said their clients "were victims of a political operation by elements within the Security Forces who deliberately used their position to hamper political progress in this country".

Sinn Fein's assembly offices in Stormont were raided on October 4, 2002, by police in connection with an IRA spy-ring.

The police said that the raids, which involved up to 200 officers and began at 5am, formed part of investigations into republican terrorist activity and intelligence gathering.

(MB/SP)