Irish Republican News, January 14, 2005
KILLING THE PROCESS
"He (Hugh Orde) has his opinion. I have my opinion. He may be putting
forward his opinion based on intelligence, maybe based on whatever information
he has. Is this the same intelligence which started the war in Iraq in
search of weapons of mass destruction? Is this the same
intelligence that put the Guildford Four or the Birmingham Six [
in prison] or refused to co-operate with the Barron Commission?
He may in good faith be saying that. But he may be wrong. I believe what
the IRA is saying."
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams
A battle over political credibility has continued in the wake of
the bank robbery in Belfast last month, an incident which Sinn
Fein President Gerry Adams warned is being "used to kill the
peace process".
The PSNI Chief Constable, Hugh Orde, has said he believes the 36
million Euro robbery was carried out by the Provisional IRA. No
evidence has yet been advanced linking the IRA to the raid.
Orde's statement launched an intense political campaign against
Sinn Fein on both sides of the border.
Dublin's Minister for Justice, Michael McDowel accused the Sinn
Fein leadership of being involved in a conspiracy to rob the
bank. The 26-County Prime Minister Bertie Ahern made similar
allegations
The Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has complained that his
telephone calls to Mr Ahern have since gone unanswered.
The political stakes are high, as Sinn Fein tonight launched a
huge recruitment drive in tandem with the centenary of the
founding of the original Sinn Fein movement. The party is
attempting to build its support to seize the balance of power in
the Dublin parliament in the next general election in the 26
Counties.
Mr Adams said he had phoned the Taoiseach every day since
Monday, first "more in disappointment than anger" last Friday.
"If the Taoiseach wanted to meet me he would meet me. If the
Taoiseach wanted to make a call to me, he would make a call to
me," he said.
Mr Adams said he wanted to repudiate the Taoiseach's expressed
belief that the Sinn Fein leadership knew during the recent
political negotiations of the plan to rob the Northern Bank.
The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has also launched a
fierce broadside against Sinn Fein and the IRA. He said the
Provisional leadership "betrayed the Tricolour and the
reconciliation that it symbolises. They have hijacked history.
They have put a gun to the head of hope." He also compared the
west Belfast-based Andersonstown News group with Nazi
propogandists.
Mr Adams has warned his party's supoporters that they must
resist any campaign of discrimination by the two governments
against its electorate.
In a substantive news conference, Mr Adams said he believed
statements by the IRA that it was not involved.
"In my opinion the IRA is telling the truth. Hugh Orde said "in
my opinion"(the IRA did it).
"He has his opinion. I have my opinion. He may be putting
forward his opinion based on intelligence, maybe based on
whatever information he has.
Is this the same intelligence which started the war in Iraq in
search of weapons of mass destruction? Is this the same
intelligence that put the Guildford Four or the Birmingham Six [
in prison] or refused to co-operate with the Barron Commission?
"He may in good faith be saying that. But he may be wrong. I
believe what the IRA is saying."
Mr Adams suggested a sinister agenda was in play.
"This incident is being used to kill this peace process," he
said. "This incident is being used to have a gang-up on Sinn
Fein. This incident is being used to try and impinge upon the
integrity of the Sinn Fein leadership.
"So all we can do is give our opinion.
"But there are other questions. What happens if and when it
emerges the IRA weren't involved? Do you all apologise to me?
Does Hugh Orde come out and say, 'I am sorry, I got it wrong?' I
have as much right to be believed as Hugh Orde.
"You remember that. I have as much right for people to give me
the benefit of the doubt as for any other . . . I have as much
right to be believed in stating honestly my opinion on this
issue."
Mr Adams said claims that the Provisional IRA were the only
group capable of the high-profile bank raid were wrong.
"There are lots of disgruntled former RUC officers who could
have done it. You have for people of my generation the memory of
the Littlejohns."
Self-proclaimed British agents Kenneth and Keith Littlejohn,
were convicted in 1973 of the biggest bank robbery until then in
Irish history. They said the purpose of the robbery was to have
the IRA blamed.
Mr Adams also pointed to other operations which were blamed on
the IRA, but were later found out to be by loyalists or MI5.