Case collapses in probe of notorious security base raid

THE Public Prosecution Service in the North has dramatically dropped all charges against a US citizen accused of involvement in the notorious break-in at Castlereagh top security base in 2002.

The case against former chef and US resident Larry Zaitschek caused a crisis in the peace process after the raid was blamed on the IRA.

The case collapsed after police revealed they could not disclose new evidence uncovered over the raid, leaving any court case open to challenge and rendering a successful prosecution impossible.