An independent unionist MEP has called on the European Parliament to put pressure on Sinn Féin to disband the IRA army council.
Jim Allister made the call after he claimed in the European Parliament that the IRA army council was still controlling and managing a portfolio of several hundred million euros accumulated through crime.
The ex-Democratic Unionist MEP, who quit the party in March over its powersharing deal with Sinn Féin, also said he was disappointed that his former colleagues did not appear to be interested in the existence of the IRA Army Council.
"I expect European Union leaders would be appalled by any links between organised crime and any government within the European Union.
"Yet that is exactly the situation in Northern Ireland where Sinn Féin, a lead party in government, is inextricably linked to the IRA whose illegal army council controls a portfolio of several hundred million euros, accumulated from the IRA's organised crime activities.
"This is one of the reasons why the army council has not been disbanded.
"I have asked the Portuguese president of the council on European efforts to combat organised crime to join in condemning this obscenity and press IRA/Sinn Féin to disband its army council," Mr Allister said.