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| 'Explosive' thrown at Gerry Adams' house | 'Explosive' thrown at Gerry Adams' house |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An explosive device has been thrown at former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams' house in west Belfast, the party has said. | An explosive device has been thrown at former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams' house in west Belfast, the party has said. |
| In a statement the party added activist Bobby Storey's house was also attacked. | In a statement the party added activist Bobby Storey's house was also attacked. |
| The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed that it was investigating two incidents in west Belfast. | The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) confirmed that it was investigating two incidents in west Belfast. |
| Mr Adams, a member of parliament in the Republic of Ireland, tweeted that no-one was hurt at his house. | Mr Adams, a member of parliament in the Republic of Ireland, tweeted that no-one was hurt at his house. |
| Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly said "these were reprehensible and cowardly attacks". | Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly said "these were reprehensible and cowardly attacks". |
| "Grandchildren were in the driveway of Adams' home minutes before the attack," he added. | "Grandchildren were in the driveway of Adams' home minutes before the attack," he added. |
| An explosive was also thrown at Bobby Storey's house, the northern chairman of Sinn Fein and a former member of the Provisional IRA. | An explosive was also thrown at Bobby Storey's house, the northern chairman of Sinn Fein and a former member of the Provisional IRA. |
| Mr Storey was involved in the Maze Prison escape in 1983, where 38 IRA prisoners escaped from the maximum security prison. | |
| Analysis by Chris Page, Ireland correspondent | |
| Gerry Adams has spoken several times in the past about death threats made against him - by loyalists and by dissident republicans who are opposed to the peace process. | |
| Sinn Fein's statement about the attacks on the homes of Mr Adams and Bobby Storey doesn't explicitly pin the blame on republican splinter groups. | |
| However, the party's reference to "increasingly desperate and irrelevant groups" firmly points in that direction - and republicans who have expressed support for Mr Adams on social media have condemned dissidents as "criminals" and "thugs". | |
| A number of hours earlier, Mr Adams's successor as Sinn Fein President - Mary Lou McDonald - strongly denounced the dissidents who are believed to be behind recent rioting in Londonderry as "warped, negative, regressive, dangerous people". | |
| The attacks come after six nights of violence in Londonderry, which led to six people being arrested on Thursday evening. | The attacks come after six nights of violence in Londonderry, which led to six people being arrested on Thursday evening. |
| Over the course of Thursday 75 petrol bombs and two improvised explosives were thrown at PSNI officers. | Over the course of Thursday 75 petrol bombs and two improvised explosives were thrown at PSNI officers. |
| Police accused dissident republicans of the attacks, which have taken place around the Twelfth of July parades, a frequent heightening of tensions centred around the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne. | Police accused dissident republicans of the attacks, which have taken place around the Twelfth of July parades, a frequent heightening of tensions centred around the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne. |
| Who is Gerry Adams? | Who is Gerry Adams? |
| Mr Adams, 69, spent nearly 34 years at the helm of Irish republican party Sinn Fein. | Mr Adams, 69, spent nearly 34 years at the helm of Irish republican party Sinn Fein. |
| During The Troubles Mr Adams survived several attempts on his life, including a 1984 gun attack by loyalist paramilitaries. | During The Troubles Mr Adams survived several attempts on his life, including a 1984 gun attack by loyalist paramilitaries. |
| He is one of the most recognisable and controversial figures in Irish politics | He is one of the most recognisable and controversial figures in Irish politics |
| Two months after the death of Martin McGuinness in 2017, Mr Adams announced he would step down as leader. He was succeeded by Mary Lou McDonald. | Two months after the death of Martin McGuinness in 2017, Mr Adams announced he would step down as leader. He was succeeded by Mary Lou McDonald. |
| You can read a full profile here. | You can read a full profile here. |