IRA denies €31m bank raid

The IRA today denied any involvement in the £22m (€31.4m) Northern Bank raid.

A senior republican source claimed: “We are dismissing any suggestion or allegation that we were involved.”

The denial came after police refused to rule out paramilitary involvement in Monday’s heist in Belfast city centre.

The PSNI has identified five organisations as possible suspects, two of them criminal and three paramilitary, including the Provisional IRA.

However, as yet, there has been no evidence of paramilitary involvement.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's police chief faces a detailed grilling by the North's Policing Board over any areas of weakness in the policing actions around the robbery.

Policing Board chairman Professor Desmond Rea said there would be a “frank discussion” with Chief Constable Hugh Orde.

He said: “This was a very serious crime, carried out by an evidently well-organised group, prepared to indulge in a high level of violence.”

The role of the Policing Board was to support the PSNI in delivering effective and efficient policing and ensuring the had the leadership and resources necessary.

Past experience would suggest they had both the leadership, detective expertise, and officers necessary to handle bank robbery investigation, said Prof Rea.

He added: “Our role is also to hold the Chief Constable to account for the delivery of effective and efficient policing, so we will be looking to him in due course to talk us through the police’s actions in this case.

“This will be a frank discussion – including any areas of weakness and lessons that need to be learnt for the future.”

However for the moment the PSNI needed to be given the space to conduct their investigation unhindered by speculation or interference.

“The police need our support to catch these violent criminals, so I’d appeal to any member of the community with any information to come forward to the police.

“In the meantime, the Policing Board will continue to monitor the situation closely,” he said.