Ex-Trimble staff member arrested in IRA spy inquiry

A civil servant who worked in Mr David Trimble's private office at the Northern Ireland Assembly is being questioned by detectives investigating IRA spying allegations.

The man also worked in the office of the Deputy First Minister Mr Mark Durkan, security sources said. The man was detained at Castle Buildings in east Belfast yesterday.

Whilst the individual concerned is innocent until proven guilty, the spying network does appear to have tentacles that go right through the political establishment. Mr Michael McGimpsey of the UUP

"As part of an ongoing investigation into intelligence gathering by the IRA, police yesterday arrested a man in Belfast," a police spokesman said. "A number of searches were carried out in the Belfast area."

It is understood that around 400 civil servants would have had access to the offices of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister at Stormont.

The man, who is believed to be from the Belfast area, had worked in Mr Trimble's private office for three months before being transferred to Mr Durkan's office for six months.

Mr Trimble confirmed the man being questioned had worked as his diary secretary for a period last year. He claimed the arrest would have major implications for the peace process.

"He had access to a tremendous range of quite sensitive information," he said. "There are huge, huge questions arising out of this".

The Ulster Unionist leader said his chief of staff and the head of the Civil Service in Northern Ireland met for urgent talks in a bid to restore confidence following the alleged breach of security.

"This is a guy that was a diary secretary and would have had the whereabouts of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister every day," a Stormont source said. "He would know where they were going to be a month or two months in advance.

"That is a hell of a security breach and obviously there is going to have to be a review of security arrangements in light of this".

The Northern Ireland Assembly collapsed last month following a series of police raids on Sinn Féin offices in Stormont and a number of addresses around Belfast.

Four people, including Sinn Féin's chief Stormont administrator Mr Denis Donaldson (52), were arrested and have appeared in court on charges of possession of information likely to be of use to terrorists.