Policing Board backs PSNI over Stormontgate scandal

The North's Policing Board has said it is satisfied the PSNI acted properly in relation to the so-called Stormontgate scandal.

Sinn Féin have accused the police force of engaging in a deliberate, political operation when it carried out a high-profile raid on the party's offices at Stormont in October 2002.

The raid was carried out as part of what the PSNI said was an investigation into an alleged IRA spy ring at Stormont.

However, the man at the centre of this alleged spy ring, Sinn Féin official Denis Donaldson, admitted last week that he was actually a British agent.

Yesterday, PSNI chief constable Hugh Orde insisted that a paramilitary spy ring did exist based on the fact that documents stolen from Stormont were found in west Belfast.

However, Sinn Féin says the documents were found in Mr Donaldson's home and, therefore, the only spy ring in operation was being run by the British authorities.

After discussing the matter yesterday, the Policing Board said it was relying on an investigation by the Police Ombudsman last year that said there was no evidence to suggest the PSNI raid was politically motivated.

It remains unclear, however, if the Ombudsman was aware that Mr Donaldson was a British spy.