Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Adams pays tribute to top NY journalist
GERRY Adams has paid tribute to a New York Post editor whose parents were from Belfast following his death.
The former Sinn Fein chief described Peter Hamill as a “legendary Irish-american writer and journalist”.
And he has extended his “deepest condolences” to his family and friends.
Mr Adams said: “I heard with great regret that Pete Hamill has died.
“Pete was a legend in the newspaper world of New York City. He was a writer, a reporter, an editor of the New York Post and the Daily News.
“Pete Hamill’s parents, Billy and Annie [Devlin], were from Belfast and emigrated to America in the early 30s.”
TWO men are facing prosecution over the sale of Nama’s Northern Ireland loan book.
It follows an “incredibly complex” National Crime Agency Investigation into the matter, which they say is not over yet.
The men are facing a number of charges in relation to the £1.2billion deal. It is understood they are Belfast businessman and ex-nama adviser Frank Cushnahan and solicitor Ian Coulter, a former managing partner in Tughans – the law firm that worked on the deal.
The loan book was sold to US investment fund Cerberus in 2014 in a deal named Project Eagle.
Nama was set up by the Irish government in 2009 during the financial crisis to off-load non-performing loans acquired from troubled banks. Cushnahan, 78, and 49-year-old Coulter are jointly charged with one count of fraud involving false representation.
However, Cushnahan is also facing charges of fraud and failure to disclose information, while Coulter is also accused of two further counts of fraud and two of concealing criminal property. The Public Prosecution Service revealed its decision yesterday. A statement also outlined how a total of nine people were “considered by the PPS in respect of the NCA investigation into Project Eagle”.
It added: “The investigation examined, amongst other matters, the circumstances around the sale and attempted sale of Nama’s Northern Ireland property loan book to two US investment firms.
“Further decisions have been taken today not to prosecute six other individuals reported in connection with Project Eagle after it was concluded there was insufficient evidence available to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction.”
The PPS decided against prosecuting the final person of the nine in November 2018.
PPS assistant director Ciaran Mcquillan said: “A considerable volume of evidence submitted to the PPS has been painstakingly examined by a team of experienced and senior prosecutors, with the benefit of advice from two senior counsel.
“As a result, it has been concluded there is sufficient evidence for two of those reported to be prosecuted for a number of serious charges.”
NCA deputy director of investigations Craig Naylor added: “This operation has been and remains an incredibly complex investigation, which is of enormous
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importance to the public in Northern Ireland and beyond. Today’s announcement is therefore a significant milestone.
“The investigation is not over yet. We have further lines of inquiry to follow up and we will continue to liaise as appropriate with PPS colleagues.”
Frank Cushnahan’s solicitor Joe Rice said his client denied the allegations. He added: “We are extremely disappointed with the decision to prosecute.”
Ian Coulter’s solicitor John Finucane also said his client denied all the allegations.
He added: “My client now enters into what will undoubtedly be a lengthy court process lasting years, where he will maintain his innocence to the offences alleged, as he has throughout this drawn-out process.”