Orde ‘must say if IRA behind raid’

CHIEF Constable Hugh Orde will face fierce pressure to declare any IRA involvement in the £22 million Northern Bank raid when he is questioned about the heist for the first time, he was warned yesterday.

Mr Orde, who has kept silent on the Belfast robbery, will be quizzed by Sir Desmond Rea’s Policing Board at a special session later this month.

Members of the authority, astonished that the January 20 meeting was not called sooner, have pledged to grill the police chief and senior commanders about how the investigation has been handled.