New appeal in £26m bank robbery

The footage shows a bank employee leaving with a bag

A fresh appeal has been made by police investigating the £26.5m Northern Bank robbery in Belfast.

CCTV footage has been released of a staff member who was held hostage leaving the bank with a bag of money on 20 December.

Police want anyone who saw the green Umbro bag or the man to contact them.

They also want to hear from the driver of a car which nearly collided with a woman taken hostage during the raid at the Northern Bank head office.

Hugh Constable Hugh Orde has blamed the IRA for the robbery. The IRA has denied involvement.

Detective Superintendent Andy Sproule, who is leading the investigation, said that the female hostage, the wife of a second bank official, was one of those most traumatised by the raid.

Karen McMullan was held hostage for at least 23 hours before being released wearing a blue boiler suit near a forest in Castlewellan, County Down.

She was almost hit by a car as she stumbled onto the Drumnacoyle Road at about 2200 GMT.

Mr Sproule urged the driver or any passengers of the car to come forward.

A new appeal has been made over the robbery

The senior detective also asked anyone who saw the man with the Umbro bag to come forward.

"The bank official was told to take the bag of money round the corner to the bus stop," he said.

"So he was sitting on the seat in the bus shelter, and he was joined by another man. He took this distinctive Umbro bag and took it away and walked down towards Wellington Place."

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy has said the raid was a violation of the Good Friday Agreement.

BBC NEWS: VIDEO AND AUDIO Watch CCTV footage of raid

He was speaking earlier on Wednesday during Northern Ireland Questions in the House of Commons.

Mr Murphy said: "In order for an executive to be formed there has to be the trust among parties for that to happen... unless we tackle the criminality we won't get the trust for parties to get together."

He said the International Monitoring Commission would be requested to report before it is due to in April.

Paul Murphy said the political process was 'deeply damaged'

"The raid on that bank has had grave consequences for the political and peace process in Northern Ireland."

Prime Minister Tony Blair referred to those committing either terrorist or criminal activity.

"There can be no place for that. Unless and until it is absolutely clear that things have changed fundamentally, then it is difficult to see the way forward on that inclusive basis," he said.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said he would be challenging remarks Taoiseach Bertie Ahern made about republican involvement in the robbery when they met.

"What the taoiseach has accused me and Martin McGuinness of doing, is being involved in a conspiracy to be involved in the prior knowledge of the largest bank robbery in the history of these islands. I find that highly offensive," he said.

There was "nothing to back it up - it is totally wrong", said Mr Adams.

On Monday, the Northern Ireland secretary and the Irish foreign minister said they were 100% convinced the IRA was involved in the robbery - the UK's biggest cash raid.

In a statement issued on Tuesday signed by P O'Neill, the IRA repeated its denial of involvement.