Sinn Fein man refused bail in alleged spy case

The Sinn Féin administration chief accused being involved in an alleged IRA spying in Stormont was today refused bail.

The Sinn Féin administration chief accused being involved in an alleged IRA spying in Stormont was today refused bail.

A judge at the Belfast High Court ruled that allegations that Mr Denis Donaldson (52) was gathering intelligence could threaten the paramilitary organisation's ceasefire.

Mr Donaldson was arrested during a police raid on his West Belfast home last month, when more than 1,200 documents were recovered.

Allegations that he was a key member of the Provisional IRA's intelligence unit were strenuously denied in court yesterday.

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But Lord Justice Nicholson ruled that there were substantial grounds to believe he could commit offences if he was released from custody.

He said: "An applicant for bail in circumstances such as these must be wholeheartedly committed to the peace process.

"If he collects information or stores information which can only be useful for military purposes he enables others to call off a ceasefire."

PA