MI5 to review Northern Ireland office security - Reid
A team of MI5 experts is being despatched to Stormont to review security in the Northern Ireland Office following the discovery of an alleged IRA spy ring.
Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid told the House of Commons last night that the Security Service team would carry out “independent and authoritative” review of security in the department.
He was also challenged by Ulster Unionist David Trimble whether it was true £30m (€47.5m) had been spent relocating police officers after the suspected IRA break-in at Castlereagh and that 1,000 documents had been stolen.
Dr Reid conceded the cost of protecting police officers after Castlereagh had been a “huge diversion” of resources and said Mr Trimble was “not far off” in his estimate of the number of documents stolen.
In a statement to MPs following the suspension of power-sharing government in Northern Ireland and the return to direct rule from Westminster, he said it was now up to republicans to choose between violence and democracy.
Republicans are under fierce pressure from the Irish, British and US governments for the IRA to disband in order to restore the political institutions.
Dr Reid is expected to convene talks with all sides next week but both governments fear that it could be months before the impasse is broken.
He said that recent incidents including the allegations of an IRA spy ring at Stormont had meant he was left with no option but to suspend the Assembly.
Earlier two men were arrested in connection with last month’s shooting of a Derry bus driver. Police chiefs have linked the incident to the IRA.
But Mr Trimble accused the Secretary of State of having “funked” the situation for not taking action to exclude Sinn Fein from the power-sharing Executive.
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams called on the British and Irish governments to begin meetings as soon as possible to spell out how they intend to implement all aspects of the Good Friday Agreement.
Mr Adams said progress must be made on demilitarisation, policing, criminal justice and other matters.
