Former Sinn Féin official Denis Donaldson's unveiling as a British spy has led to "a huge witch-hunt" within Sinn Féin and the IRA for informers, PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde has said.
Speaking following a 90-minute meeting with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Michael McDowell and Dermot Ahern yesterday, Mr Orde said it appeared that "everyone is now an informant in the North". Entering Government Buildings by car, Mr Orde was heckled by a small group of Sinn Féin supporters, who alleged that the PSNI is involved in "political policing".
Refusing to confirm or deny Donaldson's role, he insisted that he cannot in law identify informers, and that he is required to protect their rights to life under all circumstances. "All I can do is get as many of the facts as I can out so that people can form their own judgement. I am not breaking the law to make my point, so you can trust me, or you can trust someone else."
The Taoiseach said he hoped the public would get "the maximum possible information", although he acknowledged that Mr Orde has already met with the NI Policing Board.
Mr Ahern and Ministers questioned Mr Orde in detail: "The briefing and exchanges were confidential. It would not be appropriate to go into detail," a Government press release said.
Sinn Féin, said Mr Orde, last week claimed that the PSNI had "outed" Donaldson by sending uniformed officers to his west Belfast home to warn him that he was under threat. However, the PSNI last month warned dozens of senior republican figures after they had found their names and addresses in the hands of loyalist paramilitaries.
"They can't have it both ways. It is what we do," said Mr Orde, who hinted that the PSNI might not in future warn individuals of every single unverified threat. "My personal view is that sometimes we are over-sensitive. We need to be more robust about who we warn and who we don't warn. Everyone knows where everyone lives, frankly."
