05/04/2002
Police investigating Castlereagh break-in release trio
Three people arrested on Thursday in connection with an investigation into a security breach at Belfast’s main police headquarters have been released without charge.
The arrests had been made in Londonderry and Belfast on Thursday April 4.
Among those who had been questioned by the police was a former IRA leader in the Maze Prison, Raymond McCartney.
His brother Andrew was also detained, but both were released after a number of hours. The identity of the man arrested, and subsequently released, in Belfast is not known.
Republican sources said both Raymond and Andrew’s houses were searched and that the police took away a computer, floppy discs, videos, mobile phones, a number of documents and training shoes.
Six people were arrested as part of the police investigation last weekend.
One of them was later charged with having documents not linked to the Castlereagh incident.
The arrests follow an investigation into the break-in, during which a Special Branch officer was assaulted and documents taken after three men entered an office inside the Castlereagh complex, on St Patrick’s Day.
The McCartney family and Sinn Féin have rejected accusations that republicans were involved in the breach.
A spokesman for Sinn Fein has said the arrests were part of a Special Branch police cover-up with republicans being used as scapegoats.
He said: “Special Branch and MI5 are cleverly manipulating this situation into making people think republicans are responsible for the Castlereagh incident. Republicans are being demonised and victimised for something they did not do.”
Sinn Féin assembly member for Foyle, Mary Nelis, added: “This is a serious and concerted effort by the police to divert media attention away from the fact that this theft of documents was an internal security operation.”
Two separate investigations into the incident are taking place - the police's own and an inquiry by former senior civil servant Sir John Chilcot who will report directly to Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid.
(AMcE)
The arrests had been made in Londonderry and Belfast on Thursday April 4.
Among those who had been questioned by the police was a former IRA leader in the Maze Prison, Raymond McCartney.
His brother Andrew was also detained, but both were released after a number of hours. The identity of the man arrested, and subsequently released, in Belfast is not known.
Republican sources said both Raymond and Andrew’s houses were searched and that the police took away a computer, floppy discs, videos, mobile phones, a number of documents and training shoes.
Six people were arrested as part of the police investigation last weekend.
One of them was later charged with having documents not linked to the Castlereagh incident.
The arrests follow an investigation into the break-in, during which a Special Branch officer was assaulted and documents taken after three men entered an office inside the Castlereagh complex, on St Patrick’s Day.
The McCartney family and Sinn Féin have rejected accusations that republicans were involved in the breach.
A spokesman for Sinn Fein has said the arrests were part of a Special Branch police cover-up with republicans being used as scapegoats.
He said: “Special Branch and MI5 are cleverly manipulating this situation into making people think republicans are responsible for the Castlereagh incident. Republicans are being demonised and victimised for something they did not do.”
Sinn Féin assembly member for Foyle, Mary Nelis, added: “This is a serious and concerted effort by the police to divert media attention away from the fact that this theft of documents was an internal security operation.”
Two separate investigations into the incident are taking place - the police's own and an inquiry by former senior civil servant Sir John Chilcot who will report directly to Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid.
(AMcE)
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