28th January 1999

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Sinn Fein to raise Paisley documents with Patten

Sinn Fein Spokesperson on Policing Bairbre de Brun speaking in Dublin today has said that she intends ``urgently raising with the Patten Commission the apparent provision of RUC files to the DUP leader Ian Paisley.''

Ms de Brun said:

``This collusion, and its cover up by the RUC, are two reasons why the RUC is unacceptable to the nationalist community and why there must be a new policing service.

``Once again we have evidence of the extent to which elements within the RUC are prepared to use their position to collude in the provision of information to loyalist and other elements.

``It is a fact that thousands of files on nationalists have been given over the years to loyalist death squads, from within the ranks of the RUC. Hundreds have died as a result. The RUC which has the responsibility of investigating itself has never secured one arrest or conviction of one member of the RUC for this behaviour.

``This collusion, and its cover-up by the RUC, are two reasons why the RUC is unacceptable to the nationalist community and why there must be a new policing service. It is Sinn Fein's intention to raise these matters with the Irish and British governments, but particularly with the Patten commission.''

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