Gerry Adams denies under oath that he was the senior IRA figure released for talks in 1970s

Posted by Jim on May 6, 2025

Unmute1010

Gerry Adams back in court as BBC libel case continues

Shane Phelan

Today at 09:38

Former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has denied under oath that he was the senior officer of the Provisional IRA released from internment as a precondition for talks with British officials about a ceasefire in the 1970s.

Mr Adams also told the High Court he had “no wish to speculate about who was or who wasn’t in charge of the IRA at any time”.

He made the comments during at times testy exchanges between him and former attorney general Paul Gallagher SC, who is representing the BBC.

Much of the questioning centred around Mr Adams’ alleged involvement in the IRA, something he has always denied.

Mr Adams accused Mr Gallagher of asking him to go on a fishing expedition as he was being cross examined on the fifth day of his defamation action against the BBC over a 2016 Spotlight programme.

The former Sinn Féin president claims he was defamed by the programme and a follow-up article on the BBC’s website.

Both contained claims by a man purported to have been former British spy within Sinn Féin and the IRA that Mr Adams sanctioned the murder of former party official Denis Donaldson.

Mr Donaldson, a former IRA man who went on to work as a Sinn Féin administrator in Stormont, was shot dead at a remote cottage in Glenties, Co Donegal in April 2006, four months after it was revealed he had been spying for police and MI5 since the 1980s.

Mr Adams has denied any knowledge or role in the killing.

The BBC denies defaming him and says the programme was put out in good faith and during the course of discussion on a subject of public and vital interest. It argues the broadcast and the subsequent online article were fair, reasonable and in the public interest.

During the second day of his cross-examination, Mr Adams was asked about talks with British officials in 1972, attended by him and senior IRA figure Daithí Ó Conaill.

Mr Gallagher put it to him that Philip Woodfield, the deputy under-secretary at the Northern Ireland Office, had believed he was dealing with representatives of the IRA at the meeting.

“That is a matter for him. I have made my position clear,” said Mr Adams.

“He was told myself and Daithí Ó Conaill were there in our capacity as Sinn Féin personnel.”

Mr Gallagher referred to a book, The Freedom Struggle, published by the IRA in the 1970s.

The book said that among the IRA’s preconditions for the 1972 meeting taking place was the immediate release of a senior officer of the IRA’s Belfast Brigade from internment.

“I suggest to you Mr Adams that is a reference to your release from internment for the purposes of the talks,” Mr Gallagher said.

Mr Adams replied: “Well it doesn’t say that. There may well have been a senior officer of the Belfast Brigade released at that time. It wasn’t me.”

Asked by Mr Gallagher who else the book might have been referring to if it wasn’t him, Mr Adams said: “I am not prepared to speculate about the status of IRA volunteers, senior or otherwise, released or otherwise.”

Mr Gallagher asked the question again.

“I am not asking you to speculate. I will ask you one final time. Do you know of any senior officer released from internment at that time for the purposes of those talks?” the barrister said.

“I have given you my answer,” Mr Adams responded.

“And is the answer ‘no’?” asked Mr Gallagher.

“Take me at my word. I am not prepared to speculate about membership of the IRA.”

The case continues.