SF knew of bank raid plans during talks - Ahern

Sinn Féin knew the IRA was planning the £26.5m (€26m) Northern Bank raid as well as other robberies while holding key political talks with the Irish and British governments, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today.

Yet any thoughts the governments may have of trying to restart the devolved administration without the republicans appeared tonight to be a non-starter after the SDLP said it would not support the exclusion of Sinn Féin from the political process.