Decision to drop charges ‘independent’

NORTHERN Secretary Peter Hain yesterday dismissed as “preposterous” any suggestion that the dropping of charges against republicans accused of operating an alleged IRA spy ring at Stormont had been politically motivated.

Mr Hain said the Attorney General knew of the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions last week to drop the charges “in the public interest”, and he himself had been told but not consulted before the announcement.

The arrest and charging of three men on spying charges in October 2002 led to the collapse of the power-sharing administration at Stormont and became known as Stormontgate.

The charges against Sinn Féin’s Denis Donaldson, his son-in-law Ciaran Kearney and William Mackessy were dropped on Thursday when Belfast Crown Court was told no evidence would be offered against the men.

Unionists immediately saw political inference but Mr Hain said: “This was a decision for the Director of Public Prosecutions exclusively. As an independent Northern Ireland prosecution service, they took that decision. The idea that they would be influenced by any politician, and certainly any minister, is preposterous.”

Speaking on the BBC’s Politics Show, he said it was equally preposterous to claim that the court hearing had been timed to be overshadowed by Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Belfast on the same day.

He also dismissed as “100% wrong” republican allegations that the charge had been the result of a conspiracy by so-called securocrats or politicians.

Meanwhile, it emerged that a parade involving Orangemen and victims of IRA violence marching behind bands and the union flag through the centre of Dublin is being planned for the New Year. Discussions are ongoing between organisers and the gardaí for a parade to the gates of the Dáil which has been pencilled in for January 28.

William Frazer, of the loyalist victims’ group, Families Acting for Innocent Relatives, is one of the key organisers and said the gardaí had told them they had no problems about the union flag being paraded by marchers.

He said the parade was to protest against the planned introduction of legislation by both the British and Irish governments which will mean on-the-run terrorists will be able to return home without fear of prosecution.

Victims of IRA violence would parade “to challenge the image of the Provisional IRA as romantic freedom fighters”, said Mr Frazer.

“We want to take our message to the heart of Dublin and see if people there allow us freedom of expression,” he added.

Orangemen have not paraded in Dublin since the 1930s.