FOUR men and two women were last night questioned by police investigating the financing of a transatlantic IRA gun smuggling operation.

Security services kept files on Royle Family star Ricky Tomlinson describing him as a “political thug”, a groundbreaking documentary will show.

A second family is launching a legal action against the British government and police over claims that the Omagh bomb atrocity could have been prevented, it was confirmed tonight.

A senior Ulster Unionist today expressed grave reservations about the appointment of Hugh Orde as Northern Ireland’s Chief Constable.

The British government believes Special Branch police officers in the North are leaking stories about the IRA in an attempt to damage Sinn Féin’s prospects in the upcoming general election, according to reports today.

The theft of top secret documents from Special Branch is a huge setback in the fight against paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland, a former MI5 agent claimed tonight.

In a letter sent to the Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid today, a human rights organisation urged the British government to allow another force to investigate the killing of William Stobie.