IMC report 'total rubbish' says Adams

Friday, 11 February 2005 12:00 AM

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has rubbished the latest International Monitoring Committee report into the £26.5 million Northern Bank raid.

The IMC report concluded Sinn Fein officials "sanctioned" the heist in December and three other robberies in 2004 that led to the theft of more than three million pounds of goods.

"In our view, Sinn Fein must bear its share of responsibility for all of the incidents," the report said.

"Some of its senior members, who are also senior members of the Provisional IRA, were involved in sanctioning the series of robberies."

Speaking in Dublin after the publication of the report, Mr Adams, MP for Belfast West, said the findings were "total and absolute rubbish".

He accused the Irish government and Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern of betrayal and playing dirty politics with the peace process.

Mr Adams said the report from the international monitoring group made many unsubstantiated allegations and "sinister" accusations, adding the IMC was a "tool" of the British and Irish governments.

He blasted the Taoiseach for "crossing the line" over allegations that the Sinn Fein leadership had prior knowledge of the robbery.

He rejected accusations Sinn Fein knew of the conspiracy.

Mr Adams said the British and Irish governments should arrest him if it had evidence that he sanctioned the robbery and he challenged Dublin to "put up or shut up" over the allegations.

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