[A-List] UK state: Northern Ireland

["Keaney Michael" <Michael.Keaney@xxxxxx>]

A useful reminder of how different agencies of the state contradict and
struggle against each other, or can be made to appear that way when in
fact serving certain key interests.


Special branch blamed for leaks that damage Sinn Fein

Nicholas Watt and Rosie Cowan
Tuesday April 23, 2002
The Guardian

Disgruntled special branch officers in Northern Ireland are being blamed
by the government for a series of leaks about the IRA which are designed
to damage Sinn Fein in the run-up to next month's general election in
the Irish republic.

One senior Whitehall source complained yesterday that special branch
appeared to be "leaking like a sieve" after details of an IRA
intelligence database, containing the names of leading Tories, were
passed to the BBC in Northern Ireland.

Iain Duncan Smith, the Tory leader, underlined the party's fears about
the new threat yesterday when he met Tony Blair for a confidential
briefing on the IRA database which was uncovered by detectives at a
house in a republican area of Belfast. The prime minister told Mr Duncan
Smith that the list, which contained publicly available material on
senior Tories from John Major's government, did not signal that the IRA
ceasefire was in danger.

John Reid, the Northern Ireland secretary, said after the talks in
Downing Street that the government regarded the discovery of the list as
a serious development. But he made clear that ministers are more
concerned with how the information has leaked out when he said:
"Obviously there have been a series of leaks recently. The motive for
them is unclear."

A senior Whitehall source was more forthright about the source of the
leak. "Someone is leaking and it looks like special branch," the source
said. "It has got worse since Ronnie Flanagan [Northern Ireland's former
chief constable] left. He kept a tight lid on special branch. It appears
this is being done to damage Sinn Fein in the elections in the south."

Suspicions were raised on Friday when the BBC in Belfast was passed
details of the IRA database which was uncovered by detectives during a
series of raids in the wake of the break-in at the headquarters of
special branch in Belfast. This was followed by another leak to the
Sunday Telegraph which alleged that senior IRA commanders bought Russian
special forces rifles in Moscow last year. The newspaper said it was
passed details by military intelligence in London.

British officials accept that the IRA has tried to rearm in recent
years. But they believe that the Sunday Telegraph was provided with
exaggerated details in another attempt to damage Sinn Fein.

Republicans blame the leaks on what they term as "securocrats" -
disgruntled members of the security forces who want to force Sinn Fein
out of government. "We wouldn't use that term, but we appear to be in
that area," one official said.

Gerry Adams, the Sinn Fein president, and a senior IRA source vehemently
denied that republicans were targeting politicians. However, Unionists
said that the leak of the IRA database raised questions about its
commitment to the peace process. David Trimble, the Ulster Unionist
leader, demanded a personal explanation from Mr Adams and Martin
McGuinness over allegations of IRA involvement in the raid on special
branch headquarters and on the intelligence database.

Under pressure from hard liners in his party, Mr Trimble also tabled a
Stormont Assembly motion, calling on Dr Reid to clarify whether the
Provisionals' ceasefire is still intact. But he stopped well short of
suggesting any immediate sanctions against Sinn Fein, which could
threaten the power-sharing executive .

The UUP leader said continuing paramilitary activity would destroy the
good effect of the latest IRA decommissioning move and the Sinn Fein
leadership must realise it was "hugely in their interests" to close down
all IRA operations. But he urged all sides to back his tactics rather
than the "kneejerk reaction" of more extreme unionists.

Full article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,688947,00.html

Michael Keaney
Mercuria Business School
Martinlaaksontie 36
01620 Vantaa
Finland

michael.keaney@xxxxxx