SF seeks inquiry into Castlereagh security leak

Sinn Féin is demanding that the British government investigate the passing on of information about 400 republicans in Belfast…

Sinn Féin is demanding that the British government investigate the passing on of information about 400 republicans in Belfast, including Gerry Adams, to loyalist paramilitaries.

Party policing spokesman Gerry Kelly also demanded meetings with Irish and British ministers after more republicans in the north and south of the city were told last night that their details were in a stolen British army document.


Party leader Mr Adams was warned yesterday that his life is in danger after it emerged his personal details were in the document.

Mr Kelly said: "Overnight, a number of republicans in the Lower Ormeau area and in north Belfast were visited and informed that their lives were in danger from loyalist paramilitaries who had obtained their personal details.

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"We assume that this information comes from the Castlereagh collusion file passed to unionist paramilitaries by the RIR (Royal Irish Regiment) and covered up by British ministers, the PSNI and British army over the past 16 months.

"I have requested urgent meetings with both the British and Irish governments to discuss this matter."

Police first went this week to homes in Belfast's Short Strand to inform people there. Among those believed to be warned in the area was former Belfast deputy mayor Joe O'Donnell.

The document was stolen during a breach of internal security at Castlereagh security complex in east Belfast in July last year. More than 20 soldiers were moved to less sensitive duties after an investigation was undertaken into the missing document.

Mr Kelly said former Northern Ireland Office security minister Ian Pearson had been proved wrong when he claimed at the time details of the theft emerged that there was no evidence that it had fallen into the hands of paramilitaries.

PA