A unionist politician attempted to "point the finger of suspicion" at former taoiseach Charles Haughey when 150 tonnes of arms travelling from Libya and meant for the IRA were seized in French waters during the 1980s.
Rev Martin Smyth, then a UUP MP for South Belfast, wrote to prime minister Margaret Thatcher in 1987 following the seizure of the arms on board the Eksund trawler and tried to associate Haughey with the haul, a suggestion which the British moved to ignore.
The seizure of the Eksund and its enormous cargo, which included two tonnes of Semtex and 1,000 AK47s, off the coast of Finisterre resulted in international news coverage and the publication of the names of those arrested, including the captain Adrian Hopkins.
One article, in the Times, quoted Hopkins's son Adrian as saying his father had previously spoken to Haughey about the possible sale of a boat, a transaction which did not happen.
Adrian Hopkins Sr, who died last year, ran a charter boat operation after his travel agency Bray Travel went into liquidation in controversial circumstances in 1980.
In a letter to the prime minister released by the National Archives in Britain, Smyth said he had his own “deep suspicions” of the events, and drew links to the arrest and eventual acquittal of Haughey in the 1970s “arms trail”.
Speculation
“You will remember that there was speculation as to the size of the haul being too vast for the IRA , and the suggestion was that it may be a government involvement. Naturally enough the focus goes on to Libya,” he wrote .
“I am doubtful how great a benefactor [Col Muammar] Gadaffi is of anyone and although I am aware that enmity can drive a person a long way I will apply that equally to Charles Haughey, and you will remember that he had a questionable background when it comes to supplying arms for the IRA.
“In fact Conor Cruise O’Brien, as minister of posts and telegraphs in the Republic, had difficulty getting to the bottom of the previous arms scandal and was warned off. I would ask you to keep this in mind, therefore, in the course of your ongoing discussions.”
After being asked for a draft response for the prime minister, an official at the Northern Ireland Office, Robin Masefield, said "Mr Smyth seems to be attempting to point the finger of suspicion that Mr Haughey had some involvement in the Eksund affair".
Interest in boating
“We have, of course, no way of confirming or denying the alleged meeting. It is entirely possible in a small place like Dún Laoghaire, and given the taoiseach’s interest in boating, that they may have been at some stage in the same company. It is our view that the prime minister should ignore the connotations placed on the article by Mr Smyth.”
The advice was heeded by Downing Street, and no reference was made of the alleged connection in the response from the prime minister to Smyth, but to say that Haughey had confirmed he was fully committed to the fight against terrorism at a recent meeting in Copenhagen.