SF vents fury as ‘spy-ring’ three acquitted

THE acquittal in Belfast of three men accused of operating a spy ring at Stormont shows the spirit of the RUC’s Special Branch still exists, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness said yesterday.

Following the decision at Belfast Crown Court to drop charges against Sinn Féin’s head of administration Denis Donaldson, his son-in-law Ciaran Kearney and civil servant William Mackessy, Mr McGuinness said the allegation of a spy ring was concocted in 2002 to destroy political progress.

“We said very clearly at the time of that event that this case would fall apart,” the Mid Ulster MP said.