Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams released from NI police custody without any charge

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

Canada: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has been released from Northern Ireland police custody without any charge after facing four-day detention and probe over 1972 abduction and killing of a mother of 10 by the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

Adams, 65 – a prominent Catholic politician, has long denied having any connection with the IRA and involvement in the death of Jean McConville, a widow who was reportedly killed by the IRA four decades ago over the suspicion of serving as a spy for the British army.

Mr Adams had surrendered himself at Antrim PSNI Station on Wednesday evening for questioning. While being in police custody for four days, he had been interviewed 33 times.

The president of Sinn Féin – the second largest opposition party of Ireland, has stated soon after his release: “I am innocent of any involvement in any conspiracy to abduct, kill or bury Mrs McConville. I have worked hard with others to have this injustice redressed.

However, the investigation of Mr Adams has not ended. Police told to have sent an evidence file to Northern Ireland prosecutors and Public Prosecution Service (PPS) for potential charges later.

Mr Adams has said: “For all I know I can still face charges.

“One presumes they would have made a charge against me. But they offered no evidence against me whatsoever.”

The IRA did not take any responsibility for the murder of Mrs McConville until 1999, when the underground organization tried to defend its action by blaming her to be a British Army spy. Her remains were found accidentally in 2003 near a Republic of Ireland beach. However, an investigation into the matter three years later by NI police complaints watchdog found no evidence she had been a spy.

After Mr Adams release, Michael McConville – the son of victim, has told that he along with his family will continue to fight for justice, while maintaining he could be shot on disclosing the identities of suspects to police.

Mr McConville has also revealed that in a meeting during the early 2000s: “Gerry Adams says to me ‘Michael, you are getting a letter of support from the republican people’. He says ‘if you release the names I hope you are ready for the backlash’.

“I took it as a threat.”

Article viewed on Oye! Times at www.oyetimes.com.