A police raid on Sinn Féin offices at Stormont which led to the suspension of devolution in Northern Ireland had to take place for the sake of democracy, the DUP claimed today.
As Sinn Féin denounced a Police Ombudsman report which challenged their claim that the October 2002 raid was politically motivated, Policing Board member Mr Ian Paisley jr insisted it had to take place because personal details of prison officers, police and politicians had fallen into the hands of republicans.
"The raid on the Sinn Féin office as part of the overall Stormont spy-ring operation was absolutely necessary not only in restoring law and order but also democracy," the North Antrim MLA said.
"This whole episode illustrates why the Ulster Unionist Party should never have partnered Sinn Féin/IRA into government in the first place.
While Police Ombudsman Ms Nuala O'Loan said the operation was justified, she criticised PSNI officers for acting in a heavy-handed manner.
She found no evidence to suggest the search was politically motivated or was designed to damage Sinn Féin and the peace process. She said the search was part of normal police processes following an earlier search of a home.
But she added: "No proper consideration was given by police to the fact that they were searching the buildings of a legislative assembly. This was a significant failing by police."
A team of investigators from the Ombudsman's office established that PSNI officers had earlier that morning carried out searches at a number of locations in the greater Belfast area including the home of Sinn Féin official, Mr Denis Donaldson.
"On the basis of the intelligence available, I can say that the Detective Chief Superintendent's decision to seek a warrant authorising a search of a specific desk in the Sinn Féin offices was reasonable, proportionate and legal," Mrs O'Loan said.
The inquiry also did not uncover evidence that police had tipped off the media about the raid, despite cameramaen and journalists being present at the offices before the raid took place..
However she agreed the scale and manner in which the search was carried out at Stormont was disproportionate and unnecessary to the circumstances.
The Ombudsman also rejected a complaint about the refusal of police officers to allow two members of Sinn Féin to enter their office, saying the decision was legitimate and necessary to preserve the integrity of the search scene.
Sinn Féin Assembly Group leader Mr Conor Murphy claimed the report failed to tell the truth about the purpose of the raid.
"The Stormont raid on Sinn Fein's parliamentary offices was planned and executed by an RUC cartel of political detectives, in the name of the PSNI.
"It was a politically motivated raid with the clear intent to collapse the institutions and undermine the peace process.
"The Special Branch version of events given to the Police Ombudsman about the Stormont raid varies from the version offered by the PSNI Chief Constable at the time of the raid," he added.
PA