February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
If, as expected, the IMC says the IRA was involved, the two governments are likely to impose financial and/or political sanctions on Sinn Fein — sanctions that the party will vigorously contest.
A recent poll in the Republic has shown that 47 percent of voters believe that the IRA was responsible for the Northern Bank robbery.
Just 19 per cent believe the IRA was not responsible, while 29 per cent say they don’t know and 5 per cent expressed no opinion. Sinn Fein’s support base remains steady at 11 percent, dropping a marginal one percent since October. But Gerry Adams’s performance rating is down nine points to 42 percent of voters.
Sinn Fein, meanwhile, is demanding an explanation from Taoiseach Bertie Ahern after his claim that its senior leadership knew in advance, while they were in talks with him, of plans to rob the bank.
Both Martin McGuinness and Adams have bitterly complained that they have been publicly accused of complicity in a serious criminal act while being unable to prove their innocence.
The Irish government, along with its counterpart in London, insists it has no doubt the IRA was responsible and that it cannot be “business as usual” until there has been a commitment from republicans to end all paramilitary and criminal activity.
The IRA has issued a blunt denial of any involvement in the theft of the