Trimble civil servant questioned over spying claims
A civil servant who once worked in Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble’s private office at the Northern Ireland Assembly was questioned today by detectives investigating IRA spying allegations.
The man also had access to the working affairs of Mark Durkan, the former Deputy First Minister at Stormont, according to security sources.
Spokespersons for both men said they were stunned by the arrest.
Following the suspension of the power-sharing executive late last month, the junior civil servant had been moved to the Northern Ireland Office at Castle Buildings in another part of the Stormont estate where he worked for one of Secretary of State Paul Murphy’s junior ministers.
Security sources confirmed that the arrest was linked to the huge police investigation into IRA spying allegations following the seizure of hundreds of documents and computer disks in raids on republican homes in Belfast last month.
Among four people later charged was Denis Donaldson, head of Sinn Fein’s administration at Stormont.
The civil servant was arrested at Castle Buildings late yesterday afternoon and afterwards First Minister Mr Trimble and Mr Durkan were informed by Mr Murphy.
One of Mr Trimble’s senior aides said: “We are shocked and horrified. It obviously looks like a very concerted attempted by the Provisional IRA to infiltrate the very highest office in Northern Ireland.”
Up to 420 civil servants and advisers would have had access to the office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, and security sources insisted today this part of the police investigation was possible leaks to the IRA about to their arrangements and personal diary commitments.
It is not known if any charges will be brought, but this arrest will be another major setback to Irish and British attempts to get the Northern Ireland peace process up and running again.
Stormont was suspended last month in the aftermath of the arrests and seizures when Downing Street refused to give in to Mr Trimble’s demands to have Sinn Fein expelled.
