Civil servant's arrest has 'huge implications'

The former first minister David Trimble has confirmed that a man arrested by police yesterday as part of their investigation into an alleged IRA spy ring had access to his office and "sensitive information".

He said the individual concerned worked for several months as his diary secretary and therefore had access to a range of sensitive information.

On Wednesday police arrested a civil servant and took the man for questioning following a search operation in Belfast, which included a search of Castle Buildings at Stormont.

Speaking today Mr Trimble said the arrest was a "most concerning and serious development".

"Huge questions arise from this development, not the least of which are management issues. Equally this could have huge implications for the political process," he said.

SDLP leader and former deputy first minister Mark Durkan said that he had been told of the arrest , but had no further details. He said that he had considered the civil servant concerned to have had a "good manner". Mr Durkan urged caution against any "rush judgment" in the matter and appealed for media restraint.

Commenting on the arrest, Alliance Leader David Ford said: "This certainly adds to the concerns Alliance and others have about the behaviour of republicans. Without pre-judging the case against any individual, clearly there are many questions to be answered."

Northern Ireland's power-sharing executive was suspended in mid-October amid allegations of IRA spying within the Northern Ireland Office.

Last month, four people, including Denis Donaldson, head of Sinn Fein's administration at the Northern Ireland Assembly, were charged in connection with having information that may be of use to terrorists, after police seized hundreds of documents in raids on republican homes.

(AMcE)