The Provisional republican movement was last night facing its biggest political crisis since the beginning of the peace process, following the apparent exposure of a major money-laundering operation and the arrest of people associated with Sinn Féin. Mark Brennock, Conor Lally and Barry Roche report.
Garda raids were continuing last night in Louth, Meath and Westmeath after euro and sterling notes worth a total of €3.6 million were seized in Dublin and Cork. Seven people were arrested, including a Sinn Féin general election candidate from 2002 and another figure associated with the party. One of these acted in an official capacity for the party in the 2004 European Parliament elections.
As the raids continued, there was speculation that further arrests would be made. Gardaí strongly believe that some or all of the cash seized was part of the haul from the raid on the Northern Bank in Belfast before Christmas.
The home of a close relative of a man working in a key position for the Government was among the premises raided in Co Louth, although he was not arrested. A Cork businessman is also among those arrested.
Last night a man walked into Anglesea Street Garda station in Cork and handed gardaí more than £200,000 in cash. He is believed to have been given the money to hide by one of those arrested.
There was no comment last night from the Taoiseach or the Minister for Justice on the dramatic developments. The Minister for Defence, Mr O'Dea, said that the scale of the operation had been "quite staggering" but said he would not comment on the political implications until at least somebody had been charged.
Other ministers were said to be delighted at the turn of events, which they believe vindicates their new tough approach to Sinn Féin on IRA criminal activity.
The Opposition demanded an explanation from Sinn Féin, with the Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, saying the arrests raised "grave questions" for the party.
The Labour Party leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said the cash seizures and arrests were "an astonishing development", while the Green Party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, demanded that Sinn Féin "come clean on their involvement with criminal activity".
The Sinn Féin leader, Mr Gerry Adams, would only say "I never comment on speculation" when questioned by reporters in Barcelona where he is promoting his latest book. In Dublin, a Sinn Féin spokesman urged against a "rush to judgment. . . We would urge people to exercise caution on this occasion and allow the truth to come out," he said.
However, the Provisional movement now finds itself in its most difficult position since the peace process began.
Sinn Féin is under intense pressure to cut itself off from IRA activity; it faces pressure from within its own community in the wake of the Robert McCartney murder; and the IRA faces a new Garda onslaught on its criminal activities.
The latest arrests and seizures come after the pre-Christmas conviction and jailing of Niall Binéad, a Sinn Féin activist and associate of Mr Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD; the Northern Bank robbery, widely believed to have been carried out by the IRA; and the murder of Mr McCartney, believed to have been carried out by IRA members who subsequently intimidated witnesses.
There was speculation in political circles last night that further Garda operations against IRA activity may be planned. The legislation used by the Criminal Assets Bureau was strengthened by the signing into law by the President last week of the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment) Act 2005.
The Taoiseach told the Dáil on Tuesday that this would "allow criminality outside the jurisdiction to be taken into account and allow the bureau to work more closely with the Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland. These changes will help the CAB to examine assets with a paramilitary origin."
In this latest money-laundering investigation, two men were arrested in Cork on Wednesday night - one in Douglas and one in Passage West - and around £60,000 in Northern Bank notes was recovered.
The same night in Dublin, three men - one from Cork and two from Northern Ireland - were arrested close to Heuston Station.
More than €94,000 was seized.
Yesterday morning, a man and a woman were arrested in the Farran area close to Cork city and over £2 million in cash was seized.
The four arrested in Co Cork are being held under Section 30 of the Offences against the State Act at Garda stations in Cork city. The three men held in Dublin are being detained under the same Act in various Garda stations.
All seven can be held for 48 hours from their arrest until they have to be charged or released.
Senior investigators from specialist Garda units - including CAB, Crime & Security and the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation - will meet their counterparts from the PSNI at a special security summit at Garda Headquarters in Dublin's Phoenix Park today.
They will discuss the sensational developments of yesterday and Wednesday and plan how both forces will work to advance the investigation.