Police investigating the £26.5m sterling Northern Bank robbery in Belfast today made a fresh appeal for information after they released CCTV footage of a staff member who was held hostage leaving the bank with a bag of money on December 20 th.
Detectives hunting the gang behind the robbery have more than 1,000 lines of inquiry, they revealed today.
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| Northern Bank premises in Belfast |
Security camera tapes from the Northern Bank released today showing one of two bank employees carrying cash out of the headquarters on the night of the heist, were put on display at a press conference today.
Detective Superintendent Andy Sproule, who is leading the investigation, said that the "bank official was told to take the bag of money round the corner to the bus stop".
"So he was sitting on the seat in the bus shelter, and he was joined by another man. He took this distinctive Umbro bag and took it away and walked down towards Wellington Place."
Detectives are also seeking the driver of a car who nearly knocked down one of those taken hostage to contact police.
Assistant bank manager Kevin McMullan's wife - who was abducted from their home in Loughinisland, CoDown, and held for 23 hours - stumbled distressed into the path of the vehicle when she was eventually released.
Mr Sproule urged that driver or any passengers of the car to come forward. He also asked anyone who saw the man with the Umbro bag to contact police. He added that no arrests have been made.
The PSNI Chief Constable, Mr Hugh Orde, is sticking to his claims the IRA was responsible for the Belfast bank heist despite a denial issued by the paramilitary group last night.
The Provisional IRA issued a blunt denial of any involvement in the theft of £26.5 million (€37.85) at the Northern Bank last month. In a terse two-sentence statement, released last night, the organisation simply stated: "The IRA has been accused of involvement in the recent Northern Bank robbery. We were not involved."
The statement was signed "P O'Neill", the usual signatory of official statements issued by the IRA.
The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, today dismissed the IRA's denial carried out the robbery. He said in Dublin today that the IRA issued a similar denial following the killing of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, but it was later forced to admit it was involved.
He said the IRA statement denying involvement in the Northern Bank raid therefore "cuts no ice" with him.
Mr McDowell also said the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, would not apologise to Mr Gerry Adams "under any circumstances" for saying the Sinn Féin leader knew of the planned robbery in advance.
In the House of Commons this afternoon the Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Paul Murphy said the raid was a violation of the Belfast Agreement. "In order for an executive to be formed there has to be the trust among parties for that to happen... unless we tackle the criminality we won't get the trust for parties to get together."
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he still wanted to find a way forward in the Northern Ireland peace process that included all parties. Referring to the robbery, he said all sides must abandon terrorism and "ordinary criminality". But Mr Blair warned: "We cannot wait for ever while they make up their minds."
The Taoiseach, who is on a trade mission to China, had no immediate comment to make on the IRA statement.
Additional reporting: PA/Reuters