DUBLIN (Irish Examiner) Dec. 17 -- In October 2002, Mr Donaldson, his son-in-law Ciaran Kearney and civil servant William Mackessy were arrested on suspicion of operating a spy ring at Stormont. Police Land Rovers raided Sinn Féin's offices at Stormont in scenes which resulted in the then Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid suspending devolution in Northern Ireland in an attempt to stave off a unionist walkout from the power sharing executive.
Eight days ago, the Public Prosecution Service announced it was no longer pursuing a case against the three men because it was not in the public interest.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Attorney General Lord Goldsmith and Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain have faced demands from unionists and moderate nationalists in recent days for a Parliamentary statement explaining why the Public Prosecution Service withdrew the case.
Following separate meetings with Lord Goldsmith on Wesdnesday, the Rev Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists, the nationalist SDLP and Ulster Unionists complained that he stonewalled them when they asked what the public interest was.
Sinn Féin said the decision to drop the charges against the men was proof that the Stormontgate raids were part of a political policing operation. Republicans were left reeling today by the claims against Mr Donaldson, a popular figure within Sinn Féin.
Gerry Adams - Sinn Féin
In May 2003, the Republican Movement was also stunned when it was claimed, west Belfast man Freddie Scappaticci was one of the British Army's most valued intelligence agents, Stakeknife. Mr Scappaticci strenuously denied the claims at a press conference.
In his statement today, Mr Adams criticised the use of informers and agents by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. The West Belfast MP said: "What is clear is that there are those within the PSNI and the intelligence agencies who are a law unto themselves, who use informers, spies and agents and who are operating to their own agenda with no accountability.
"Treason doth never prosper: what's the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it treason."
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If there was not in fact a republican spy ring at Stormont the Executive may have been wrongly shut down. I am sure that the Northern Irish politicians would have achieved the same result for other reasons, but it was one more major crisis in the peace process.
On the other hand Sinn Fein is perfectly happy to lie about such matters. The British agent may be saying the truth now or spreading disinformation for some reason. Perhaps he hopes that it will make it less likely that the IRA would try to kill him. Perhaps intelligence services want to spread confusion. Who can know?
