Reid sets up independent inquiry into Castlereagh raid

A former Northern Ireland Office permanent secretary has today been appointed to head a British government review into the break-in at Castlereagh Special Branch office in Belfast on Sunday.

I am determined that we establish the facts surrounding this serious incident as quickly as possible and ensure that all necessary remedial action is taken The Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid

The announcement that Sir John Chilcot is to lead the investigation was made by Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Dr John Reid, this afternoon in the House of Commons.

Speaking in the Dáil this afternoon, the Taoiseach Mr Ahern, said he was "deeply concerned" at the Castlereagh break-in and that some sensitive information seemed to have been stolen.

Mr Ahern was answering a question from Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan.

Dr Reid said the review will establish how the break-in happened, what damage it did to national security and whether measures taken in response were adequate.

It will proceed in parallel with the criminal investigation and Sir John will report directly to Dr Reid.

The Northern Ireland Secretary said: "Any breach of national security is a matter of grave concern. I am determined that we establish the facts surrounding this serious incident as quickly as possible and ensure that all necessary remedial action is taken."

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) inquiry into the break-in being headed by Chief Superintendent Phil Wright, the most senior detective in Belfast.

A third inquiry into the same matter is being carried out by the North’s police Ombudsman, Ms Nuala O'Loan.

Answering allegations relating to informants’ names being stolen in Castlereagh, PSNI Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan said today that the documents taken did not include such names.

"Clearly I am not going to comment on the exact nature of these documents. There has been a lot of misrepresented reporting on this, there are no papers on ongoing investigations. There are no names of any informants," said Mr Flanagan.

There have been allegations that the break-in was an "inside job" and some have pointed to the British intelligence service. One of the three raiders was reported to have had a pronounced English accent.

The Mayor of Belfast, Mr Jim Rodgers of the UUP, has blamed the "security services" for the theft while SDLP spokesman Mr Alban Maginness has talked of a scandal of ‘Watergate’ proportions.

A statement from the Pat Finucane Centre for Human Rights and Social Change on the issue said: "It seems ironic that the theft of documents would provoke the immediate announcement of an independent review while credible evidence of Special Branch collusion in actual murders has not resulted in an independent inquiry."

The Pat Finucane Centre is named in memory of Pat Finucane, a human rights lawyer from Belfast who was murdered in front of his wife and children in 1989 by the UDA.

Police and military officers with access to the Castlereagh complex will be questioned by the three investigations. Former members of the police and British army who were based in the east Belfast building are also expected to be interviewed.