WikiLeaks Blows Lid Off Sinn Féin's Dubious Past

I must admit there's been a few upsides to WikiLeaks, with one of these is that even terrorists have had their dealings cracked open. At the Irish Independent, "Wikileaks: Gerry Adams denies IRA and bank robbery claims."

Gerry Adams has denied claims on WikiLeaks that he was an IRA leader and had advance knowledge of the infamous Northern Bank raid.

According to the latest US diplomatic cable leaks, the Irish government had "rock solid evidence" on the allegations.

But Mr Adams said the claims were not new, that he had denied them at the time, and blamed Irish political rivalries with his Sinn Fein party for the allegations.

Mr Adams and Martin McGuinness were aware that the £26.5m (€31.5m) robbery at the Northern Bank in Belfast in 2004, which was blamed on the IRA, was going to be carried out, officials in Dublin told the US ambassador James Kenny.

But Mr Adams said the claims were made publicly by the then Taoiseach, and Fianna Fail, leader Bertie Ahern, and were denied by republicans at the time.

"I repudiated it then, as did Martin. It isn't true," said Mr Adams.

"I then spoke to the Taoiseach privately about this matter.

"It was my conviction at the time, because there was very intense, as there is now, electoral rivalry between Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail.

"I saw this and still see this as part of Fianna Fail's attack on or fight back against Sinn Fein at that time."

And there's more at Sydney Morning Herald, "IRA used Celtic Tiger to buy respectability, cables say."

LONDON: The IRA used the Celtic Tiger economic boom in Ireland to diversify into ''sophisticated business enterprises'' by buying up properties in London, Dublin and Spanish resorts, according to US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks.

A senior Irish police officer told the US embassy in Dublin that the IRA used the booming Irish economy to move on from racketeering, turning to ''apparently respectable businessmen'' to raise funds.

The IRA's changing business practices are revealed in a cable by Jonathan Benton, the then deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Dublin, which reported on meetings with senior Irish officials and police officers.

Advertisement: Story continues below Mr Benton wrote that a senior garda, or police officer, whose identity is protected by The Guardian, said IRA money was constantly moving, flowing from diversified sources into wide-ranging investments.

The cable said the new funds were being used to support Sinn Fein. ''Irish officials, more generally, remain concerned that IRA funds acquired through sophisticated investments are seeping into resources available for Sinn Fein's political activities in the Republic of Ireland.''

Also at The Guardian, "WikiLeaks cables: IRA used Irish boom to turn 'respectable'." And, "US embassy cables: Gerry Adams plays a 'double game' on criminality – future Irish PM."

Plus, an analysis at Irish Times, "WikiLeaks Blows Dust Layer Off Dubious Past of SF."

RELATED: From Simon Jenkins in 2005, "Poor Jerry Adams ... It is now convenient for everyone to regard the IRA as 'criminals' not terrorists."