Gerry Adams has firmly rejected any connection to the Provisional IRA bombings in England, asserting in the High Court that he was „never a part of the organisation.“
The former president of Sinn Fein took the stand on Tuesday to respond to a legal claim filed by three individuals who were victims of attacks occurring in the 1970s and 1990s.
John Clark, who sustained injuries from the 1973 Old Bailey bombing in London; Jonathan Ganesh, a survivor of the 1996 London Docklands bombing; and Barry Laycock, a victim of the 1996 Arndale shopping centre bombing in Manchester, are collectively alleging that Mr. Adams held a senior position within the Provisional IRA, including its Army Council, during the time of these attacks. They are seeking £1 in damages.
In his defense, Mr. Adams stated in a witness statement that being a member of Sinn Fein “does not equate to membership of the IRA.”
He further expressed that while he did not distance himself from the Provisional IRA, he was pleased that the organization had “left the stage” and acknowledged that there were “dastardly things that were done that should never have been done.”
Dressed in a dark suit and tie, adorned with a shamrock and a badge of the Palestinian flag, Mr. Adams commenced his testimony by wishing the presiding judge, Mr. Justice Swift, “a very happy St Patrick’s Day.”
In a detailed 20-page witness statement, Mr. Adams asserted that he “was not involved in any way in the planning, preparation or conduct of” any of the bombings, and emphasized that he “have never been a senior, let alone most senior figure, in the IRA.”
“I had no involvement in or advance knowledge of the Old Bailey bombing (1973), the Canary Wharf bombing (1996) or the Manchester bombing (1996).”
He added: “I have never been charged, prosecuted or convicted of any offence in connection with any of the bombing incidents in which the claimants were injured.”
Mr. Adams reiterated, “I was never a member of the IRA or its Army Council, and I never held any role or rank within the IRA.”
“I repeat that I had no involvement whatsoever in the authorisation, planning or conduct of the bombings in which the claimants were sadly injured.”
Upon arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London, Mr. Adams faced a civil claim against him as the former president of Sinn Fein (1983-2018). His statement also addressed the conflation of Sinn Fein with the Provisional IRA by its opponents.
“As I have always stated, Sinn Fein and the IRA are separate organisations,”
he noted. Mr. Adams claimed he had “no knowledge, beyond what has been widely reported in the public domain, as to the structure or decision-making processes of the IRA.”
He acknowledged the significant suffering endured by the three bomb victims, clarifying that his statement should not be interpreted as a criticism of the claimants or an attempt to diminish their traumatic experiences.
During cross-examination by barrister Sir Max Hill KC, Mr. Adams conceded that the Provisional IRA was responsible for 1,178 deaths, stating that the organization’s mission was “to resist armed British occupation and aggression in the part of Ireland that I lived in.”
Earlier, he remarked on the “shocking” ignorance of Irish history among British citizens.
“It’s your business to defend many actions of the IRA, is that an accurate statement?”
Sir Max inquired. Mr. Adams responded, “I do not defend all the IRA actions but my position is based on the broad principle that people have the right to resist occupation.”
Sir Max continued, “You have, over a long period of time, chosen to stand by the IRA.”
Mr. Adams replied, “I do not stand by everything that they did but these were my neighbours.”
He expressed relief that the IRA had ceased its activities, stating, “I’m glad that the IRA has left the stage, I’m glad that no one else is being killed.”
He added, “I am glad that there is a peace process but I do not distance myself from the IRA while being very, very clear that there were dastardly things that were done that should never have been done.”
Anne Studd KC, representing the three bomb victims, previously asserted that Mr. Adams was “directly responsible for and complicit in those decisions made by that organisation to detonate bombs on the British mainland in 1973 and 1996.”
She argued that the distinction between being in “the Army” and being a member of Sinn Fein was not a “clear either/or choice.”
According to her, “The claimants’ case is that none of these bombings in the United Kingdom mainland took place without the knowledge and agreement of the defendant in his role in the Provisional IRA and latterly as a member of the seven-man Army Council.”
She concluded, “There is no doubt that the defendant contributed to the peace in Northern Ireland, but the claimants say that on the evidence he also contributed to the war.”
Ms. Studd further contended that Mr. Adams had “a foot in each camp” of the military and political sides of the Irish Republican movement, suggesting he was likely “as involved as the people who planted and detonated those bombs.”
The trial is expected to conclude later in March.
Bildquelle: ai-generated-gemini
