NIO security chief to leave
Exclusive
By Mick Naughton.
Phoblacht has learned that John Steele, the NIO's Director for
Policing and Security, will be leaving his post before the
summer.
Steele and his assistant Stephen J Leach were the main Stormont
officials responsible for the briefing document dubbed the
`gameplan', which was leaked to the press last summer. The
document was submitted on 20 June 1997, two weeks before the
Drumcree march on 6 July. It advocated ``finding the lowest common
denominator for getting some Orange feet on the Garvaghy Road''.
This at a time when Marjorie Mowlam was asserting her desire for
a negotiated solution.
The news that Steele is vacating his post comes at a time when
the NIO is dogged with controversy over other leaked documents
that have seriously damaged Mowlam.
Last month a document submitted to Mowlam by new Director of
Communications, Tom Kelly, was leaked to the DUP. The paper
outlined how the British government planned to rally support for
a Yes vote in a referendum following any talks agreement.
The names Steele and Leach turned up again last week during a
Judicial hearing taken by Ormeau residents against the Parades
Commission. It was revealed the pair were on the interview panel
of three that appointed Tommy Cheevers and Glenn Barr to the
Commission.
So worried is the NIO about these damaging leaks that from now on
`confidential' documents are to be specially coded to prevent
leaking.
The first document to be thus coded was the 65-page `Mitchell
paper' handed to talks delegates and the two governments on
Monday night.
David Watkins, also an NIO official, rather than Leach is to take
over from Steele. Little is known about Watkins though he has
been described as being more extreme than the departing Steele.
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