CASTLEREAGH RAID RIPPLES THROUGH LOCAL CONCERNS
Castlereagh raid ripples through local concerns
BY ROSETTA DONNELLY
POLICE Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan has been called to investigate the theft of sensitive information from Castlereagh Special Branch office.
The alleged robbery has sparked several official investigations and a wave of condemnation from all sides of the community, most of whom do not believe that this was not an 'inside job'.
The skepticism was verbalised by West Tyrone Sinn Fein MLA, Barry McElduff who said it is "absolutely inconceivable that the alleged raid could not have taken place without the sanction and compliance of Special Branch or British military intelligence".
Although security sources are stressing the missing documents are not connected to the Omagh bombing, Rosemary Nelson or Pat Finucane investigations, Lawrence Rush, who lost his wife Libby in the 1998 bomb atrocity, still has concerns.
He believes that the documents relating to the Omagh bombing may have been amongst those spirited away in the raid.
Loyalist and republican informers are in fear following the theft of the documents, which included notebooks with the names and intelligence on informers.
Three separate investigations are under way into the security breach. It is believed the focus of the investigation into the raid now centres on the involvement of an intelligence agency.
Joe Byrne, SDLP MLA for West Tyrone and Member of the Policing Board, says the alleged theft of highly sensitive files from the Castlereagh police complex could put lives in danger.
Mr Byrne raised the issue yesterday with the Chief Constable, Ronnie Flanagan, when he attended a meeting of the Policing Board's Corporate
Affairs Committee.
Mr Byrne said: "This is a very worrying development. Highly sensitive files appear to have gone, missing and this has the potential to put lives in danger. The thieves appeared to have knowledge of the layout of the offices within the Castlereagh police complex and knew what they were looking for. It is vital that we discover the truth of what happened in a way that will ensure maximum confidence."
"I welcome the Secretary of State's announcement of an independent inquiry into this breach of security and the referral of this incident by the Chief Constable, Ronnie Flanagan, to the Police Ombudsman. However, the Chief Constable must answer serious questions on how security was compromised at the this high level police complex and I pressed him on this issue during the meeting of the Policing Board's Corporate Affairs Committee," said Mr Byrne.
"As highly sensitive intelligence may have gone missing it is essential that the investigation into this serious incident is conducted in a transparent fashion and I emphasised that no attempt should be made to block the investigating officer's inquiry."
The Policing Board's chairman, Des Rea spoke after the meeting with the Chief Constable and said that the Board had been fully briefed since the incident occurred. He said the Mr Flanagan had told the members of the remit of the Ombudsman with regard to this issue and the role of the independent investigator to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
He said the Board had also been briefed on the measures to be taken and will receive regular updates.
"When this has been completed, the Board will objectively assess the facts and take whatever action it considers necessary to meet its responsibilities in ensuring the openness, accountability, effectiveness and efficiency of the Police Service."
Commenting that it was a very creative way of someone clearing his/her desk of sensitive information, Sinn Fein's Barry McElduff said,
"While the content and quantity of the intelligence information taken is not yet clear and may never become clear, two things are beyond doubt. Firstly, it is clear that this was an inside job and this fact is not even disputed by the most ardent of Unionist politicians.
"Secondly, it is clear that this theft or staged-managed operation was designed to remove highly sensitive intelligence material from existence.
"There is no doubt that this material is of some considerable significance given the lengths to which those who seized it went to get it. It is obvious that the existence of this material posed a major threat to the interests of Special Branch and or British Military Intelligence and its removal is designed to keep the lid firmly sealed on a large can of unsavoury worms" said Mr McElduff.
Meanwhile, Lawrence Rushe said, "Let me put it like this, Castlereagh was a holding centre out of which people don't just walk. They knew what they were looking for. I would like the powers that be to confirm or deny that the stolen documentation referred to Omagh. To me it was an inside job."
Mr Rush said he phoned Brian McArthur, the Chief Officer overseeing the Omagh investigation who said that to his knowledge the stolen information did not relate to Omagh. He then contacted the chief constable's office but had not received a reply from Ronnie Flanagan or his staff.
"It seems incredible that in this state in which terrorism is still rife, someone can walk into a massive complex and take highly important documentation" said Mr Rush.
BY ROSETTA DONNELLY
POLICE Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan has been called to investigate the theft of sensitive information from Castlereagh Special Branch office.
The alleged robbery has sparked several official investigations and a wave of condemnation from all sides of the community, most of whom do not believe that this was not an 'inside job'.
The skepticism was verbalised by West Tyrone Sinn Fein MLA, Barry McElduff who said it is "absolutely inconceivable that the alleged raid could not have taken place without the sanction and compliance of Special Branch or British military intelligence".
Although security sources are stressing the missing documents are not connected to the Omagh bombing, Rosemary Nelson or Pat Finucane investigations, Lawrence Rush, who lost his wife Libby in the 1998 bomb atrocity, still has concerns.
He believes that the documents relating to the Omagh bombing may have been amongst those spirited away in the raid.
Loyalist and republican informers are in fear following the theft of the documents, which included notebooks with the names and intelligence on informers.
Three separate investigations are under way into the security breach. It is believed the focus of the investigation into the raid now centres on the involvement of an intelligence agency.
Joe Byrne, SDLP MLA for West Tyrone and Member of the Policing Board, says the alleged theft of highly sensitive files from the Castlereagh police complex could put lives in danger.
Mr Byrne raised the issue yesterday with the Chief Constable, Ronnie Flanagan, when he attended a meeting of the Policing Board's Corporate
Affairs Committee.
Mr Byrne said: "This is a very worrying development. Highly sensitive files appear to have gone, missing and this has the potential to put lives in danger. The thieves appeared to have knowledge of the layout of the offices within the Castlereagh police complex and knew what they were looking for. It is vital that we discover the truth of what happened in a way that will ensure maximum confidence."
"I welcome the Secretary of State's announcement of an independent inquiry into this breach of security and the referral of this incident by the Chief Constable, Ronnie Flanagan, to the Police Ombudsman. However, the Chief Constable must answer serious questions on how security was compromised at the this high level police complex and I pressed him on this issue during the meeting of the Policing Board's Corporate Affairs Committee," said Mr Byrne.
"As highly sensitive intelligence may have gone missing it is essential that the investigation into this serious incident is conducted in a transparent fashion and I emphasised that no attempt should be made to block the investigating officer's inquiry."
The Policing Board's chairman, Des Rea spoke after the meeting with the Chief Constable and said that the Board had been fully briefed since the incident occurred. He said the Mr Flanagan had told the members of the remit of the Ombudsman with regard to this issue and the role of the independent investigator to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
He said the Board had also been briefed on the measures to be taken and will receive regular updates.
"When this has been completed, the Board will objectively assess the facts and take whatever action it considers necessary to meet its responsibilities in ensuring the openness, accountability, effectiveness and efficiency of the Police Service."
Commenting that it was a very creative way of someone clearing his/her desk of sensitive information, Sinn Fein's Barry McElduff said,
"While the content and quantity of the intelligence information taken is not yet clear and may never become clear, two things are beyond doubt. Firstly, it is clear that this was an inside job and this fact is not even disputed by the most ardent of Unionist politicians.
"Secondly, it is clear that this theft or staged-managed operation was designed to remove highly sensitive intelligence material from existence.
"There is no doubt that this material is of some considerable significance given the lengths to which those who seized it went to get it. It is obvious that the existence of this material posed a major threat to the interests of Special Branch and or British Military Intelligence and its removal is designed to keep the lid firmly sealed on a large can of unsavoury worms" said Mr McElduff.
Meanwhile, Lawrence Rushe said, "Let me put it like this, Castlereagh was a holding centre out of which people don't just walk. They knew what they were looking for. I would like the powers that be to confirm or deny that the stolen documentation referred to Omagh. To me it was an inside job."
Mr Rush said he phoned Brian McArthur, the Chief Officer overseeing the Omagh investigation who said that to his knowledge the stolen information did not relate to Omagh. He then contacted the chief constable's office but had not received a reply from Ronnie Flanagan or his staff.
"It seems incredible that in this state in which terrorism is still rife, someone can walk into a massive complex and take highly important documentation" said Mr Rush.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0987
Published Date: 21-Mar-02
Related Images
