Two more Anglo bosses to be quizzed

GARDAÍ who specialise in fraud investigations are expected to quiz at least two other senior figures from Anglo Irish Bank following the release of the troubled bank’s former finance chief from custody.

Willie McAteer, Anglo’s former finance director, was released without charge yesterday after nearly 32 hours in custody.

Wearing a navy jacket, chords and blue shirt, the 59-year-old Donegal man walked out of Irishtown Garda Station without commenting and into a waiting car and was driven away.

He had been held over- night and allowed an eight- hour rest before members of the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation continued questioning him at around 8.30am.

He was questioned for 23 hours and 45 minutes while detained.

At 2.15pm yesterday, Mr McAteer was released without charge and walked swiftly past awaiting media into a car driven by a woman.

He had been questioned under section 10 of the Theft and Fraud Offences Act, which relates to accounting fraud.

Gardaí had seized documents, files and computers when he was arrested at his Rathgar home at 6.30am on Wednesday.

His detention over alleged financial irregularities at Anglo follows that of its former chairman Seán FitzPatrick last week.

A Garda source has confirmed specialist fraud gardaí expect to question two other senior figures, over the same issue of the controversial transfer of over €7.5bn to Anglo from Irish Life & Permanent in September 2008.

One bank official is in Ireland while the other senior figure is abroad and will be asked to return home for questioning rather than gardaí attempting an extradition.

Mr McAteer, who was the bank’s chief risk officer, oversaw the borrowing and balancing of the troubled institution’s funds during the period gardaí are investigating.

The former director – who at one stage had 3.5 million shares with Anglo – was granted access to a lawyer during his custody and yesterday a garda spokesman confirmed a file would be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.