Accused 'risked life' to free hostage

Police raided Sinn Fein's Stormont office last month

A Sinn Fein official alleged to have been an IRA spy risked his life to help free Beirut hostage Brian Keenan, the High Court in Belfast has heard.

Denis Donaldson, 52, from Aitnamona Crescent in west Belfast is in custody charged with having documents likely to be of use to terrorists. He is applying to be freed on bail.

The Sinn Fein head of administration was arrested after police raided the party's offices at Stormont on 4 October.

At Tuesday's hearing, a defence lawyer told the court a reference for the accused was submitted by Brian Keenan, who was held hostage in Lebanon between 1986 and 1990.

Brian Keenan was held hostage in Lebanon

The letter said Mr Donaldson had talks with an adviser to the Hezbollah group, which was holding Mr Keenan.

The former hostage stated: "For the whole period of my incarceration, only two human beings put their lives at risk on my behalf.

"One was Terry Waite and the other was Denis Donaldson."

'Terror links'

On Monday, detectives opposing the bail application alleged the Sinn Fein man was a senior member of the IRA's intelligence gathering wing.

Denis Donaldson is facing five charges

The High Court was told Denis Donaldson travelled the world, establishing links with terror organisations such as the PLO in the Middle East and ETA in Spain.

A total of 1,218 documents were found in a rucksack at his home on the same day police searched Sinn Fein's office at Stormont.

At Tuesday's hearing, a lawyer for the accused said he vehemently denied being a member of the Provisional IRA.

Lord Justice Nicholson reserved judgement until Wednesday.

Spy controversary

Mr Donaldson is facing five charges of possessing documents which could be useful to terrorists.

The charges allege that he had documents containing details about the Army's most senior officer in Northern Ireland, a sketch of Castle Buildings at Stormont and details about known loyalists and a serving police officer.

He is the last of four people arrested in connection with a police investigation into alleged IRA spying at Stormont to apply for bail.

The controversy surrounding alleged spying at Stormont led to the collapse of power-sharing and the government's decision to suspend Northern Ireland's political institutions on 14 October.