LAST UPDATE | 13 Nov

SINN FÉIN HAS expelled a member of the party after her partner was arrested as part of investigations by the anti-terror Special Detective Unit into far-right extremism.

A number of people are already before the courts in relation to the wider investigation.

It is part of a nationwide and cross border investigation into an alleged plan to bomb a mosque and other locations by a far-right group. A number of arrests have been made and a number of properties have been searched. 

Sinn Féin said this morning that it had expelled the party member once it emerged that her home was searched. The party has subsequently said this afternoon that both individuals in question, the former member and her partner, were signed into Leinster House on two occasions earlier this year. 

Speaking this morning, Matt Carthy, the Sinn Féin spokesperson on Justice, Migration and Home Affairs, said that the party became aware of the matter after another member told them of the raid on the house. 

In a statement, Sinn Féin’s National Chairperson Declan Kearney confirmed that the expulsion was linked to last week’s arrest of two alleged far right extremists.

“We will not allow our party to be exposed to any far right elements. The far right have targeted our party for several years now with death threats, pickets on members’ homes and offices and more recently violent actions.

“We have worked carefully with the Gardaí, who have been active and vigilant in the face of these threats,” he said. 

Kearney said that the arrest of two people had caused “huge shock” and said that the “speedy action” of gardaí prevented a “potentially devastating” incident. 

“The party was informed on Friday night that the home of a female party member and her partner had been raided and he has since been arrested.

“The female party member was expelled from the party on Saturday evening as she failed to notify the party that her home was raided or inform the party about the associated seriousness of this situation.

“We will not allow our party to be exposed to any far right elements. The far right have targeted our party for several years now with death threats, pickets on members’ homes and offices and more recently violent actions. Sinn Féin will not be intimidated. We have worked carefully with the Gardaí, who have been active and vigilant in the face of these threats,” Kearney added. 

Speaking to reporters outside leinster House this morning, Matt Carthy, said that the party leadership met on Saturday and decided to immediately expel the woman. 

He said there was no indication that there was anyone else in the party involved. 

“We have to be incredibly careful, because we know that the gardaí have been very proactive and have been doing a very laudable job in respect of ultimately potentially saving lives.

“We commend them for the work that they have been doing, and we’re very conscious that we don’t say anything that would impede on any inquiries or court cases that might transpire,” he said. 

In response to a query from The Journal, Sinn Féin confirmed this afternoon that the former member and her partner were signed into Leinster House on two occasions earlier this year. 

“The now expelled Sinn Féin member and her partner were signed into Leinster House on two occasions, ” spokesperson said.

“On 16 July they were signed in by Senator Maria McCormack for a endometriosis debate in the Dáil. On 17 June they were signed in by a staff member in Maria McCormack’s office, at her request, on the day of a housing protest outside the Dáil.”