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On the Runs told of arrest risk says Peter Hain On the Runs told of arrest risk says Peter Hain
(about 1 hour later)
Secret letters sent to 187 republican paramilitary suspects made it clear they could still be arrested if other evidence emerged, former NI Secretary Peter Hain has said.Secret letters sent to 187 republican paramilitary suspects made it clear they could still be arrested if other evidence emerged, former NI Secretary Peter Hain has said.
Mr Hain said the On the Runs assurances "were not immunities".Mr Hain said the On the Runs assurances "were not immunities".
Stormont Justice Minister David Ford said government officials told him five cases were currently being considered.Stormont Justice Minister David Ford said government officials told him five cases were currently being considered.
The Northern Ireland Assembly has begun a debate on the On the Runs scheme at the request of the first minister.The Northern Ireland Assembly has begun a debate on the On the Runs scheme at the request of the first minister.
A threat by Peter Robinson to resign was lifted after Prime Minister David Cameron agreed there should be a judge-led inquiry into the matter. A threat by Peter Robinson to resign as Northern Ireland first minister was lifted after Prime Minister David Cameron agreed there should be a judge-led inquiry into the matter.
However, an emergency assembly debate on the letters is going ahead.
The inquiry will examine why 187 republican paramilitary suspects were sent letters telling them that they were no longer wanted by the police.The inquiry will examine why 187 republican paramilitary suspects were sent letters telling them that they were no longer wanted by the police.
Mr Hain said the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) had carried out a painstaking investigation to see if there was evidence of the crimes committed during the Troubles. However, an emergency assembly debate on the letters has gone ahead.
Mr Robinson told assembly members the collapse of the case against John Downey, who denied killing four soldiers in the 1982 IRA Hyde Park bombing, was "morally wrong and an affront to justice".
The case against Mr Downey collapsed after it emerged he had been sent a government letter in 2007 confirming he was not being pursued by UK authorities.
Mr Robinson said that if the government kept to the terms of a written statement from Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers, such letters would no longer be a "free pass" enabling holders to avoid arrest or prosecution.
The DUP leader said that what had already been agreed during talks chaired by US diplomat Richard Haass on the past, parades and flags would have to be re-evaluated.
However, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the focus should remain on the Haass blueprint.
The Sinn Féin assembly member accused the DUP of "irresponsible knee-jerk politics" and "posturing" ahead of May's council and European elections.
SDLP leader Alasdair McDonnell questioned whether other secret deals had been agreed, while Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said his party would no longer take part in the Haass process.
'Apprehended'
Earlier on Friday, Mr Hain said the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) had carried out a painstaking investigation to see if there was evidence of the crimes committed during the Troubles.
"They made it clear that if other evidence came to light in the future then they could well be apprehended should they came into Britain," Mr Hain said."They made it clear that if other evidence came to light in the future then they could well be apprehended should they came into Britain," Mr Hain said.
"And by the way, people did know about it.""And by the way, people did know about it."
Stormont Justice Minister David Ford said government officials told him five cases were currently being considered under the scheme, and the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) had accepted responsibility for this.Stormont Justice Minister David Ford said government officials told him five cases were currently being considered under the scheme, and the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) had accepted responsibility for this.
"Now I don't like the scheme at all - it's not open, it's not transparent, it's not something that the people supported - but at least we now have established that the scheme, if it is in the process of winding up, is the responsibility of the NIO that set it up," he said. "Now I don't like the scheme at all - it's not open, it's not transparent, it's not something that the people supported - but at least we now have established that the scheme, if it is in the process of winding up, is the responsibility of the NIO that set it up," he told the BBC.
"It is not a devolved matter and as long as I am the minister of justice, there will be no such scheme within the department.""It is not a devolved matter and as long as I am the minister of justice, there will be no such scheme within the department."
'Confusion' Northern Ireland's director of public prosecutions has given his backing to the inquiry.
The director of public prosecutions has given his backing to the inquiry.
Barra McGrory said: "Clearly, if there is a senior judicial figure heading this inquiry, it will have integrity.Barra McGrory said: "Clearly, if there is a senior judicial figure heading this inquiry, it will have integrity.
"I certainly would give my personal co-operation to it, as will the PPS."I certainly would give my personal co-operation to it, as will the PPS.
"I think the inquiry should clear up some of the confusion and concern about these issues.""I think the inquiry should clear up some of the confusion and concern about these issues."
Meanwhile, Mr Robinson has been accused of doing a U-turn in the row over the secret letters.
Mr Robinson said on Wednesday he would resign unless there was a judicial inquiry into the official government letters given to paramilitary suspects.
He has now withdrawn his threat, saying he was happy with the terms of a judge-led review set up by David Cameron.
However, Jim Allister, leader of the hardline Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), said the review was a long way from what Mr Robinson had originally demanded.
Mr Allister accused Mr Robinson of having "buckled within 24 hours of playing the hard man".
'Gullible'
Details of the secret letters and the government's On the Runs "administrative scheme" came to light after the trial of a man suspected of the IRA bombing of Hyde Park in 1982 collapsed in London.
John Downey, from County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland, had denied killing four soldiers in the attack. He received his letter in 2007 and after seeing the document, the judge stopped his trial.
After days of controversy over the revelations, Mr Cameron agreed to appoint a judge to lead a review into the On the Runs scheme.
But the TUV leader has dismissed the move as "an administrative review of the paperwork, dressed up for the gullible as something more".
'Fig leaf'
He criticised Mr Robinson for accepting the review, despite threatening to resign unless there was a "full judicial inquiry".
"What we've had is an astonishing climbdown by the first minister, and he's clutching some fig leaf to himself, and the secretary of state is helping him by reiterating something that was already in the letters that these On the Runs hold - namely that if fresh evidence comes they could perhaps be interviewed again.
"There's nothing new in that," Mr Allister added.
'No immunity'
However, Mr Robinson said he was "satisfied with the response" from the government.
"I think the prime minister and the secretary of state have been prompt, they have dealt with the issues seriously and in the manner that is satisfactory to me."
Mr Robinson added he no longer intended to quit as first minister, "on the basis if you get what you want, why on earth would you want to resign?"
Northern Ireland Secretary of State Theresa Villiers said the letters "do not confer an immunity and never did."
"If new evidence emerges, the individuals will be pursued for arrest and prosecution exactly like anybody else," she added.
'No compulsion'
Ms Villiers said the judge-led review would investigate how the government's On the Run scheme operated and "the facts of what happened".
She confirmed that witnesses would not be compelled to give evidence during the review.
"The judge will be able to conduct interviews. We're not talking about compulsion in relation to individuals but we would expect civil servants and police officers to co-operate where interviews are requested by the judge," Ms Villiers said.
She added that "other interviews can be conducted with other individuals where they are willing to do so".
The secretary of state said the review would focus "primarily on documents" and the judge would be given access to all relevant government papers.