HUGH ORDE, the Northern Ireland police chief, is expected to confirm today that the Provisional IRA carried out the audacious £22 million bank raid in Belfast last month.

He was under mounting pressure yesterday to point the finger after a “new year statement” by the IRA failed to deny direct involvement in the UK’s biggest bank heist. However, the IRA said that any attempt to criminalise its members would fail.

As Mr Orde prepared for talks with the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Tony Blair told his monthly press conference at 10 Downing Street that groups linked to the peace process including the IRA must cease criminal activity. He said: “There can be absolutely no place not merely for terrorist activity, but for criminal activity of any sort by people associated with a political party,” he said.

Mr Blair also emphasised that he was not prejudging the outcome of police inquiries into the robbery at the Northern Bank.

Gerry Adams, the Sinn Fein president, said that the IRA was not involved in the robbery and that allegations against it were aimed at thwarting the peace process.

He said: “The two governments need to think about whose agenda is being served by accusations attacking Sinn Fein and seeking to link our party to allegations of IRA involvement in the Northern Bank robbery. The IRA has said it wasn’t involved. I believe that to be the case.”

He added: “It is obvious that the raids and confiscation of property directed at republican activists in recent weeks have had nothing to do with tracking down those responsible for the bank robbery. Instead this has been aimed at pointing the finger of guilt at republicans — even in the absence of any evidence.”

Analysts agree that police confirmation that the IRA was connected to the heist would have huge implications for the future of the peace process.

Observers have speculated that the IRA might have carried out the raid — in which bank staff were kidnapped while their families were held hostage — to secure “pensions” for its volunteers after the end of their campaign.

Alex Attwood, an assmebly member from the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party who is on the Policing Board, advised Mr Orde to comment publicly only when he can speak authoritatively.

He also condemned the IRA statement, which made no direct reference to the Northern Bank raid.

“It has been typical of the IRA and Sinn Fein to evade the real issue of alleged republican involvement in the robbery,” he said.

“After repeated republican attempts to demonise members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the District Policing Partnerships and the Policing Board, to hear the IRA now claim republican demonisation is hollow and cynical.

“Today’s statement convinces no one that the IRA are not up to their necks in the Northern Bank robbery.”

The IRA statement, carried by the republican newspaper An Phoblacht, said: “We reject recent attempts to criminalise our volunteers. Through two decades, central to Britain’s policy in Ireland was the strategy of demonising and criminalising republicans.

“In prisons and on the streets, similar attempts and tactics were smashed. Current attempts by those hostile to republicanism will also fail.”

Nigel Dodds, the senior Democratic Unionist negotiator, said it was imperative that Mr Orde make his position clear on who was behind the Northern Bank robbery.

The North Belfast MP said: “People in the community are astounded that there has been so little from the Chief Constable since the robbery.

“On the ground, it is generally accepted that the IRA are involved in this.”

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