Northern Bank Robbery

Investigations into the robbery became entangled in the political uncertainty of the time. After a meeting with the Policing Board in January 2005, Chief Constable Hugh Orde of the Police Service of Northern Ireland announced at a news conference in Belfast that the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) was responsible for the raid. He added that all the main lines of police inquiry were focused in this direction, not because of political pressure but because it made “operational sense.” He refused to comment on any potential political repercussions.

“These cases are extremely complicated. The robbery itself was carried out by a competent group of criminals. …This was a particularly brutal crime, people were extremely badly treated and assaulted by the gang.” – Sir Hugh Orde

The Government and other major political figures, with the exception of Sinn Féin, supported this accusation. The IRA denied any involvement in the Northern Bank robbery. Sinn Féin MP Martin McGuinness argued that Orde's allegations were politically biased and intended to hinder efforts toward a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland, supported by Sinn Féin, rather than being based on the robbery itself. Prime Minister Tony Blair stated that all criminal and paramilitary activity had to end before political institutions could be restored. Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said that trust and confidence in the peace process had been damaged. It was confirmed that the Independent Monitoring Commission would investigate the matter in due course.

A month later, the IRA was accused of the murder of Robert McCartney, a Catholic father of two young children, on 31 January 2005. These combined accusations placed immense pressure on the IRA to sever its criminal links, ultimately leading to the group's pledge in July 2005 to disarm.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Northern Bank had made no record of the serial numbers of £900,000 worth of the new £100 notes and £250,000 of the new £50 notes stolen in the raid. To prevent the gang from using all of the stolen cash, Northern Bank decided to withdraw its banknotes and reissue them in a different style and colour, eventually rendering the old currency invalid. On 14 March 2005, in a major security operation, £240 million worth of Northern Bank notes were replaced.

Chris Ward was the first suspect accused of taking part in the bank robbery and manipulating work rotas to facilitate it. Following the robbery, Northern Bank placed Ward on sick leave while the police investigation continued. During a ten-minute hearing in early December 2005, Ward denied the charges and instead accused police of bugging him at home and abroad in an attempt to frame him. He was remanded in custody until 4 January 2006, then released. The charges against Ward for imprisoning McMullen and his wife were later dropped.

“It was just terrifying… even the fact they knew I was involved in Celtic [football club], they knew where I lived, they knew my family, they knew my family’s names, they knew about my brother and his girlfriend. You are walking up the street now and you are wondering: Is someone watching me?” – Chris Ward

A 22-year-old woman, believed to be either an employee of Northern Bank or a friend of Ward, was also taken in for questioning but was later released.

The second suspect was Dominic McEvoy, 23, a building contractor from County Down. On 2 November 2005, he was arrested and charged with possession of a gun or imitation firearm and with taking McMullen and his wife hostage during the Northern Bank robbery. When McEvoy appeared in court on 4 November 2005, the Public Prosecution Service withdrew the charges after reviewing police files, and he was released.

On 2 November 2005, a third man was arrested and charged in connection with the Northern Bank robbery. Computers, discs, a passport, bank statements, credit cards, wage cheques, and phone records were seized. The 30-year-old was held for questioning and appeared before Belfast magistrates on 9 November 2005. He was charged with collecting and recording information useful to terrorists. The charges were later dropped, and he was released.

In late November 2005, Martin McAliskey, 40, a salesman from County Tyrone, was accused of withholding information and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He was alleged to have been responsible for the white Ford Transit box van used to transport the stolen money. The van had crossed the border from the Republic of Ireland a few hours before the bank raid. Charges against McAliskey were later withdrawn.

In mid-February 2005, seven suspects were arrested in several coordinated raids targeting suspected IRA money-laundering operations across the Republic of Ireland. Police believed the nearly £3 million recovered during the raids to be part of the money stolen from Northern Bank, although this could not be confirmed. Later that month, £60,000 was discovered in a toilet at the Police Athletic Association’s Newforge Country Club. Following forensic testing, police confirmed it was part of the Northern Bank robbery but believed it had been planted to divert attention from other activities.

The troubled investigation into the Northern Bank robbery continued. In February 2006, police raided the home of former Sinn Féin councillor Francie Braniff. The following month, police chiefs were accused of conducting a flawed investigation, with charges against suspects repeatedly withdrawn by the Public Prosecution Service and no firm evidence produced.

Chris Ward continued to be accused by police of involvement in the robbery. He was remanded on bail and was due to appear in court again in late April 2007. Investigating detectives appealed for witnesses who may have seen Ward hand a sports bag containing money to one of the gang members at a bus stop on Upper Queen Street on Monday, 20 December 2004, to come forward. On 15 April 2007, lead investigator Detective Superintendent Andrew Sproule released CCTV footage showing Ward leaving the Donegall Square West branch of Northern Bank carrying a distinctive UMBRO sports bag and handing it to an unidentified man at the bus stop.

Ten people have been arrested, three have been charged in connection with the robbery but no-one has yet been charged with physically carrying out the raid on Northern Bank. The investigation continues.