Northern Ireland

Watch: Hundreds line streets as Bobby Storey's remains return home

Republican Bobby Storey's remains return home to west Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell.
Republican Bobby Storey's remains return home to west Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell. Republican Bobby Storey's remains return home to west Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell.
By Michael McHugh and Press Association

Hundreds have lined the streets as the remains of senior republican and former leading IRA figure Bobby Storey arrived at his home in West Belfast.

He was a highly influential presence within his community throughout the Troubles and subsequent peace process.

A guard of honour was formed near his Andersonstown home on Friday evening.

[ READ MORE: Bobby Storey funeral to take place on Tuesday ]

Former Sinn Fein president and close friend Gerry Adams was among those present.

Stormont Assembly member Martina Anderson and North Belfast MP John Finucane also attended.

The remains were removed from the hearse in silence and taken to his home.

The former Sinn Fein chairman north of the border was 64 and had been unwell for a period of time.

He died in England on Sunday following an unsuccessful lung transplant.

His funeral will be held in Belfast on Tuesday.

Mr Storey spent more than 20 years in prison during the conflict.

Leading Belfast republican Bobby Storey. Picture by Mal McCann
Leading Belfast republican Bobby Storey. Picture by Mal McCann Leading Belfast republican Bobby Storey. Picture by Mal McCann

He was sentenced to 18 years for possession of a rifle in 1981 and also spent several periods behind bars remanded on other charges.

As a teenager, he had been interned without charge.

In 1983 he was involved in a mass escape by republican prisoners from the Maze paramilitary prison near Lisburn.

In 2005, then Ulster Unionist MP David Burnside used parliamentary privilege to claim that Storey was the IRA's head of intelligence. He also alleged he was involved in the IRA's £26.5 million robbery of the Northern Bank in Belfast in 2004.

Bobby Storey's remains return home to west Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell
Bobby Storey's remains return home to west Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell Bobby Storey's remains return home to west Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell

Two years ago Mr Storey's house was targeted in an attack Sinn Fein blamed on dissident republicans.

Three years earlier, police investigating the murder of former IRA member Kevin McGuigan in Belfast arrested Storey.

He was subsequently released without charge.

Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams looks as on Bobby Storey's remains return home to west Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell.
Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams looks as on Bobby Storey's remains return home to west Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell. Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams looks as on Bobby Storey's remains return home to west Belfast. Picture by Hugh Russell.