Ex-terrorist assembly access revealed

The Assembly building was searched by police

A convicted terrorist from Northern Ireland who sparked a security alert at the Welsh Assembly had been working there for at least a month before he was discovered.

Assembly members in Wales reacted angrily when details of the security operation became known on Tuesday.

It has emerged that the man had access to the assembly for at least four weeks before his background was uncovered.

The news can only add to assembly members' concerns about their security.

Air conditioning was being installed at the building

The man had been working for a firm which installed air conditioning.

However, security vetting procedures revealed that he had previously been jailed for firearms and explosives offences in the 1980s.

The man had also been connected to loyalist paramilitaries.

Last weekend South Wales Police sealed off the assembly building in Cardiff Bay and carried out extensive searches.

A spokesman said they found nothing alarming and the offices were re-opened in time for the assembly to reconvene on Monday.

Assembly members only learned of the reason for the operation from the media and are demanding to know how the security breach happened.

Assembly Presiding Officer Dafydd Elis-Thomas has asked for details of all vetting procedures and has promised to carry out a review.