A significant split has developed between the PSNI and the Northern Ireland Office in relation to the IRA's claim that it has ended all criminal activity.
A senior PSNI officer yesterday contradicted claims by a British minister that the IRA is no longer involved in organised crime.
Asst Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid is understood to have told members of the Policing Board at a private meeting in Belfast that the Provisional IRA had still not ceased all criminal activity.
This was in sharp contrast to comments made at the same meeting by the British minister Shaun Woodward. He is is understood to have repeated the view he expressed in interviews last month when he said he believed IRA criminality had ended.
The Irish Times understands that both Mr Woodward's and Mr Kinkaid's contradictory comments were made and restated, leaving members of the board in no doubt of the divergence between the security minister and the assistant chief constable.
It is further understood that Mr Kinkaid sought an adjournment once the contradiction emerged so that he could consult his colleagues.
Mr Kinkaid, head of the PSNI's crime division and one of Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde's most trusted and senior officers, was giving board members a confidential assessment of the activity of paramilitary groups.
The PSNI would only say last night: "The briefing was confidential and given to a private meeting of the Policing Board, something that happens often." No further comment was given.
However, The Irish Times understands that Mr Kinkaid told the board he believed that involvement in organised crime by the IRA and other groups had not ended.
In an interview with The Irish Times last month, Mr Woodward said he believed the IRA was honouring its July 28th statement to end both paramilitary and criminal activity. "I have no reason to believe that the IRA is involved in any criminality at all," he said at the time.
A reliable source told The Irish Times last night that Mr Kinkaid's briefing on IRA activity was "encouraging" in relation to terrorist activity. But he is understood to have told board members that its criminal operations had not completely stopped.
The source said that Mr Kinkaid's assessment of IRA involvement in terrorism was "a positive picture".
The source added that while Mr Kinkaid's assessment of criminal activity was objective and not entirely negative, it still pointed to ongoing criminality.
Ian Paisley jnr, a Policing Board member, last night called for Mr Woodward's resignation.
He confirmed he was present at the private briefing but would not give details of Mr Kinkaid's assessment or anything else that was said at the meeting.
However, he said that the briefing he heard "was the same which Shaun Woodward received".
He added: "There is only one conclusion that can be arrived at regarding the IRA and its activities.
"Shaun Woodward has no right to draw those conclusions. As a result . . . I have no confidence in the security minister and I am calling on him to resign."
Mr Woodward was said to have left the meeting before its conclusion.