The Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain today dismissed as "preposterous" any suggestion the dropping of charges against republicans accused of operating an alleged IRA spy ring at Stormont had been politically motivated.
Mr Hain said the Attorney General knew of the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions last week to drop the charges "in the public interest", and he himself had been told but not consulted before the announcement.
The arrest and charging of three men on spying charges in October 2002 led to the collapse of the power-sharing administration at Stormont and became known as Stormontgate.
The charges against Sinn Fein's Denis Donaldson, his son-in-law Ciaran Kearney and William Mackessy were were dropped on Thursday when Belfast Crown Court was told no evidence would be offered against the men.
Unionists immediately saw political inference but Mr Hain said: "This was a decision for the Director of Public Prosecutions exclusively. As an independent Northern Ireland prosecution service they took that decision.
"The idea that they would be influenced by any politician and certainly any minister is preposterous."
Speaking on the BBC's Politics Show, he said it was equally preposterous to claim that the court hearing had been timed to be overshadowed by the Queen's visit to Belfast on the same day. At the same time he dismissed republican allegations that the charge had been the result of a gigantic conspiracy by so-called securocrats or politicians as "100 per cent wrong".
The Secretary of State failed to convince sceptical North Belfast Democratic Unionist Party MP Nigel Dodds. He said the statement by Mr Hain "lacks credibility in the face of the refusal to divulge what exactly 'in the public interest' means."
Mr Dodds said Mr Hain's protestations were further undermined by his actions when he "blatantly interfered" with the justice system in the case of Shankill Road bomber Sean Kelly who was freed on his order after being ordered back to prison.
"The Secretary of State not only acted in a highly political way to overrule the proper considerations of justice, he also set to one side clear police advice relating to the safety and security of people at large.," said the MP.
It meant that Peter Hain had "form", he said.
"He can protest as loudly as he can but his previous behaviour and his willingness to accommodate Sinn Fein speak ever more loudly." His message to the Northern Ireland Office and all other government departments was to "come clean now if there is nothing to hide."
PA