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| Senior Sinn Fein Member Arrested in Northern Ireland Killing | |
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| DUBLIN — Bobby Storey, a senior member of the Irish nationalist political party Sinn Fein, was arrested on Wednesday in Northern Ireland in connection with the murder of a former Irish Republican Army member last month, the police said. The arrest threatens to further upset the fragile power-sharing provincial government in Northern Ireland. | DUBLIN — Bobby Storey, a senior member of the Irish nationalist political party Sinn Fein, was arrested on Wednesday in Northern Ireland in connection with the murder of a former Irish Republican Army member last month, the police said. The arrest threatens to further upset the fragile power-sharing provincial government in Northern Ireland. |
| Mr. Storey, a former I.R.A. commander, was one of three men arrested in the killing of the former I.R.A. member, Kevin McGuigan, 53, a father of nine who was shot outside his home in Belfast on Aug. 12. Mr. Storey is the 16th person arrested in connection with the killing, which the police have said they believe was an act of revenge for the assassination of Gerard (Jock) Davison, reportedly a onetime Belfast commander of the I.R.A., in May. | Mr. Storey, a former I.R.A. commander, was one of three men arrested in the killing of the former I.R.A. member, Kevin McGuigan, 53, a father of nine who was shot outside his home in Belfast on Aug. 12. Mr. Storey is the 16th person arrested in connection with the killing, which the police have said they believe was an act of revenge for the assassination of Gerard (Jock) Davison, reportedly a onetime Belfast commander of the I.R.A., in May. |
| After Mr. McGuigan’s death, George Hamilton, the Northern Ireland police chief, asserted that despite the I.R.A.’s declaration renouncing violence and its formal disarming in 2005, I.R.A. structures still exist. He said there was no evidence that the killing of Mr. McGuigan had been sanctioned at the highest levels, and that intelligence indicated that the group had ceased its paramilitary activities. However, he said, former individual members of the I.R.A. allied with Mr. Davison killed Mr. McGuigan. | After Mr. McGuigan’s death, George Hamilton, the Northern Ireland police chief, asserted that despite the I.R.A.’s declaration renouncing violence and its formal disarming in 2005, I.R.A. structures still exist. He said there was no evidence that the killing of Mr. McGuigan had been sanctioned at the highest levels, and that intelligence indicated that the group had ceased its paramilitary activities. However, he said, former individual members of the I.R.A. allied with Mr. Davison killed Mr. McGuigan. |
| Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the I.R.A., immediately countered the assertions, saying the organization no longer exists. | Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the I.R.A., immediately countered the assertions, saying the organization no longer exists. |
| “The war is over,” Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Fein, said in a statement rejecting the police claims. “The I.R.A. is gone and not coming back.” | “The war is over,” Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Fein, said in a statement rejecting the police claims. “The I.R.A. is gone and not coming back.” |
| The question of possible I.R.A. involvement in the recent violence has created a political crisis in Northern Ireland, with pro-British unionist politicians threatening to bring down the power-sharing government. Northern Ireland’s first minister, Peter Robinson, on Wednesday repeated an earlier call to suspend the Northern Ireland Assembly, the provincial parliament, pending clarity on the matter. | The question of possible I.R.A. involvement in the recent violence has created a political crisis in Northern Ireland, with pro-British unionist politicians threatening to bring down the power-sharing government. Northern Ireland’s first minister, Peter Robinson, on Wednesday repeated an earlier call to suspend the Northern Ireland Assembly, the provincial parliament, pending clarity on the matter. |
| Mr. Storey, 59, spent more than 20 years in prison for a variety of arms offenses during the Northern Ireland conflict and is credited with helping mastermind a mass escape of I.R.A. prisoners from the top-security Maze Prison in 1983, an event that embarrassed the British government. | Mr. Storey, 59, spent more than 20 years in prison for a variety of arms offenses during the Northern Ireland conflict and is credited with helping mastermind a mass escape of I.R.A. prisoners from the top-security Maze Prison in 1983, an event that embarrassed the British government. |
| After his release in 1998, he has been vocal in his support of the continuing peace process and is Sinn Fein’s northern chairman, regarded as a highly influential role in the party. | After his release in 1998, he has been vocal in his support of the continuing peace process and is Sinn Fein’s northern chairman, regarded as a highly influential role in the party. |
| Of the 16 people arrested in connection with Mr. McGuigan’s murder so far, 15 have been released unconditionally and the other has been charged with weapons offenses. | Of the 16 people arrested in connection with Mr. McGuigan’s murder so far, 15 have been released unconditionally and the other has been charged with weapons offenses. |
| In a statement on Wednesday, Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, said he was “surprised to learn about the arrest,” describing Mr. Storey as “a valued member of Sinn Fein’s core leadership.” | In a statement on Wednesday, Northern Ireland’s deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, said he was “surprised to learn about the arrest,” describing Mr. Storey as “a valued member of Sinn Fein’s core leadership.” |
| “He has played a leading role in the development of Sinn Fein’s peace strategy and is a longstanding and loyal supporter, defender and advocate of the peace and political processes,” he said. | “He has played a leading role in the development of Sinn Fein’s peace strategy and is a longstanding and loyal supporter, defender and advocate of the peace and political processes,” he said. |