PSNI search for former British government messenger

Police in the North have revealed that a former messenger who once worked at the British Government’s main office in Belfast was arrested during a series of raids in republican areas this morning.

Sinn Fein’s offices at Stormont were also raided and the party’s administrator, Denis Donaldson, was arrested.

The main focus of the operation is believed to be the former British government messenger, who had access to Castle Buildings in Hillsborough, where Northern Secretary John Reid has his offices.

The man apparently left work last year following an internal inquiry.

Detectives are now investigating how much access the suspect had inside Castle Buildings.

Sinn Fein was quick to condemn this morning’s actions and has called on Northern Secretary John Reid to say whether he had a part in the operation.

Party spokesperson Bairbre de Brun described the searches and arrests as an attack on a political party.

"It is absolutely outrageous and it is clearly part of a political picture of intervention by the Police Service of Northern Ireland," she said.

"It is clearly part of a campaign of media leaks and media briefings by people like assistant chief constable Alan McQuillan to attack the political process.

"It is part of an anti-Sinn Fein, anti-peace process agenda. We have protested to the British Government in the strongest possible terms."