DUP split over Molloy 'police informer' claims

The DUP is divided over what to do about allegations that the prominent Sinn Fein Assemblyman Francie Molloy is a police informer and a "suspect" in the IRA killing of a relative of one of their MPs.

Mr Molloy is scheduled to become Speaker at the next Assembly in a deal worked out between the DUP and Sinn Fein.

Mid Ulster MP David Simpson made the allegations against Mr Molloy using House of Commons privilege last Thursday evening in an adjournment debate.

He claimed that the current Deputy Speaker had acted as a police agent for a number of years after he was compromised because of sexual indiscretions.

"He was caught by the security forces in a compromising position. As a result, he was recruited as an informer for the police. He would make regular contact with a handler at a public phone box near a road haulage company in a town called Tamnamore, in Co Tyrone," Mr Simpson claimed.

"During the years that followed, Molloy passed on information to the police in Northern Ireland. That helped them to break open the IRA's notorious east Tyrone brigade. Prior to Molloy's recruitment, the east Tyrone brigade had been virtually impregnable. After it, the brigade suffered setbacks, taking direct hits and losing personnel."

Mr Molloy dismissed the allegations, challenging the MP to repeat them outside the Commons, where he wouldn't have legal immunity.

Sources close to the Democratic Unionist Party MP say he remains adamant that the information provided to him about the Deputy Speaker is correct and he says he has no qualms about making his Commons statement despite the Sinn Fein MLA's subsequent vehement denials.

But other elements of the DUP outside mid-Ulster and particularly in Belfast are less enthusiastic about endorsing their MP's claim that Mr Molloy is a police informer. Some MLAs say they have taken soundings from security force sources who say they question some of the narrative.

Former DUP member Jim Allister has challenged the party's leadership to distance itself from Sinn Fein but said he didn't see that happening.

"I expect the DUP will continue as if David Simpson had not lifted this embarrassing lid. After all, if cozying up to IRA Commander McGuinness doesn't even cause a blush, inconvenient focus on yet another terrorist pedigree will hardly bother a party head over heels in power with IRA/Sinn Fein," he said.

The MLA added that he didn't expect the party to take Mr Simpson's allegations any further. "Don't forget we've signed a deal with the Shinners to allow Molloy to replace William Hay as the Stormont Speaker after the next Assembly election, so we're effectively tied into Francie's future. If he retired at the end of this Assembly then it wouldn't happen, but is that more likely or less likely to happen now?"