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| Gerry Adams remains in custody over McConville murder | Gerry Adams remains in custody over McConville murder |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams continues to be questioned by Northern Ireland police in connection with the 1972 murder of Jean McConville. | Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams continues to be questioned by Northern Ireland police in connection with the 1972 murder of Jean McConville. |
| Mr Adams has spent the night in custody after going to Antrim police station, where he was arrested. | |
| Speaking before his detention on Wednesday evening, Mr Adams said he was "innocent of any part" in the murder. | Speaking before his detention on Wednesday evening, Mr Adams said he was "innocent of any part" in the murder. |
| Mrs McConville, a 37-year-old widow and mother-of-10, was abducted and shot by the IRA. | Mrs McConville, a 37-year-old widow and mother-of-10, was abducted and shot by the IRA. |
| Her body was recovered from a beach in County Louth in 2003. | Her body was recovered from a beach in County Louth in 2003. |
| Police said a 65-year-old man presented himself to officers at Antrim police station and was arrested. | |
| 'Malicious allegations' | 'Malicious allegations' |
| In a statement, Sinn Féin said: "Last month Gerry Adams said he was available to meet the PSNI about the Jean McConville case. That meeting is taking place this evening." | In a statement, Sinn Féin said: "Last month Gerry Adams said he was available to meet the PSNI about the Jean McConville case. That meeting is taking place this evening." |
| Mr Adams added: "I believe that the killing of Jean McConville and the secret burial of her body was wrong and a grievous injustice to her and her family. | Mr Adams added: "I believe that the killing of Jean McConville and the secret burial of her body was wrong and a grievous injustice to her and her family. |
| "Well publicised, malicious allegations have been made against me. I reject these. | "Well publicised, malicious allegations have been made against me. I reject these. |
| "While I have never disassociated myself from the IRA and I never will, I am innocent of any part in the abduction, killing or burial of Mrs McConville." | "While I have never disassociated myself from the IRA and I never will, I am innocent of any part in the abduction, killing or burial of Mrs McConville." |
| His party colleague Alex Maskey condemned the timing of the arrest, just over three weeks from the European and local government elections. | His party colleague Alex Maskey condemned the timing of the arrest, just over three weeks from the European and local government elections. |
| However, Mrs McConville's son Michael, who was 11 when his mother was murdered, welcomed the arrest. | However, Mrs McConville's son Michael, who was 11 when his mother was murdered, welcomed the arrest. |
| "We're just happy to see everything moving as it is moving at the minute," Mr McConville said. | "We're just happy to see everything moving as it is moving at the minute," Mr McConville said. |
| "Me and the rest of my brothers and sisters are just glad to see the PSNI doing their job. We didn't think it would ever take place [Mr Adams' arrest], but we are quite glad that it is taking place. | "Me and the rest of my brothers and sisters are just glad to see the PSNI doing their job. We didn't think it would ever take place [Mr Adams' arrest], but we are quite glad that it is taking place. |
| "All we're looking for is justice for our mother. Our mother, on the seventh of next month, would have been 80 years of age. | "All we're looking for is justice for our mother. Our mother, on the seventh of next month, would have been 80 years of age. |
| "Although we didn't spend much time with our mother, we'd have like to have spent a lot of time with her. If the IRA hadn't have killed our mother, God knows, she still might have been alive today." | "Although we didn't spend much time with our mother, we'd have like to have spent a lot of time with her. If the IRA hadn't have killed our mother, God knows, she still might have been alive today." |
| Mrs McConville, one of Northern Ireland's Disappeared, was kidnapped in front of her children after being wrongly accused of being an informer. | Mrs McConville, one of Northern Ireland's Disappeared, was kidnapped in front of her children after being wrongly accused of being an informer. |
| Last month, Ivor Bell, 77, a leader in the Provisional IRA in the 1970s, was charged with aiding and abetting the murder. | Last month, Ivor Bell, 77, a leader in the Provisional IRA in the 1970s, was charged with aiding and abetting the murder. |
| There have also been a number of other arrests over the murder recently. | There have also been a number of other arrests over the murder recently. |
| The case against Bell is based on an interview he allegedly gave to researchers at Boston College in the US. | The case against Bell is based on an interview he allegedly gave to researchers at Boston College in the US. |
| The Boston College tapes are a series of candid, confessional interviews with former loyalist and republican paramilitaries, designed to be an oral history of the Troubles. | The Boston College tapes are a series of candid, confessional interviews with former loyalist and republican paramilitaries, designed to be an oral history of the Troubles. |
| The paramilitaries were told the tapes would only be made public after their deaths. | The paramilitaries were told the tapes would only be made public after their deaths. |
| However, after a series of court cases in the United States, some of the content has been handed over to the authorities. | However, after a series of court cases in the United States, some of the content has been handed over to the authorities. |
| Informer claim dismissed | Informer claim dismissed |
| The claim that Mrs McConville - who was abducted from her flat in the Divis area of west Belfast - was an informer was dismissed after an official investigation by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman. | The claim that Mrs McConville - who was abducted from her flat in the Divis area of west Belfast - was an informer was dismissed after an official investigation by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman. |
| She was held at one or more houses before being shot and buried in secret. | She was held at one or more houses before being shot and buried in secret. |
| The Disappeared are those who were abducted, murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Troubles. | The Disappeared are those who were abducted, murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Troubles. |
| The IRA admitted in 1999 that it murdered and buried at secret locations nine of the Disappeared. | The IRA admitted in 1999 that it murdered and buried at secret locations nine of the Disappeared. |
| The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains was established in 1999 by a treaty between the British and Irish governments. | The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains was established in 1999 by a treaty between the British and Irish governments. |
| It lists 16 people as "disappeared". Despite extensive searches, the remains of seven of them have not been found. | It lists 16 people as "disappeared". Despite extensive searches, the remains of seven of them have not been found. |