Sinn Fein authorised Northern Bank robbery
Calls for sanctions against Sinn Fein are growing after the International Monitoring Commission concluded that senior Sinn Fein members sanctioned a series of IRA robberies.
The fourth report from the ICC lists four robberies that it believes the IRA were responsible for, which includes the Northern Bank robbery.
And it concludes that: “Sinn Fein must bear its share of responsibility for all the incidents. Some of its senior members, who are also senior members of PIRA [Provisional IRA], were involved in sanctioning the series of robberies.”
It goes on to the stark conclusion that: “Sinn Fein cannot be regarded as committed to non-violence and exclusively peaceful and democratic means so long as its links to PIRA remain as they are and PIRA continues to be engaged in violence or other crime.”
And, “Although we note Sinn Fein has said it is opposed to criminality of any kind it appears at times to have its own definition of what constitutes a crime. We do not believe the party has sufficiently discharged its responsibility to exert all possible influence to prevent illegal activities on the part of PIRA.”
The ICC stressed that had the Northern Ireland Assembly been sitting, it would be recommending that Sinn Fein was excluded from the assembly. As it is currently suspended, it urges the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Paul Murphy, to consider financial sanctions against Sinn Fein.
Finally, it calls on the leadership and the rank and file to make the choice “between continued association with and support for PIRA criminality and the path of an exclusively democratic political party.. Until this happens it is hard to see how further useful progress can be made.”
Sinn Fein has always denied any involvement in the raids, and said that it also believes the IRA’s denial of involvement.
Mr Murphy said he would be considering the report closely, and would make a statement to the House when it resumes sitting on 21 February.
The Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, David Lidington, said that Sinn Fein must now face sanctions both in Stormont and Westminster.
Mr Lidington said: “Some people argue that imposing sanctions is counter-productive and simply allows Sinn Fein to portray themselves as victims. Conservatives disagree. In our view, this simply amounts to giving Sinn Fein immunity for any breaches of the law that PIRA carries out. This is totally unacceptable.
“The Government should immediately impose the recommended financial penalties against Sinn Fein at Stormont. But it should go further.
“Conservatives believe it is a scandal that Sinn Fein continues to have access to the facilities of the House of Commons, and receive half a million pounds taxpayer-funded allowances at the same time as they are involved with an armed and active criminal gang. This is an affront to democracy.”
He suggested that the Government should now press ahead with talks in Northern Ireland – without Sinn Fein.
