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| Gerry Adams released without charge over the 1972 murder of Jean McConville | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has been released without charge in connection with the murder and abduction of Jean McConville and with being a member of the IRA, both of which he has denied. | Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has been released without charge in connection with the murder and abduction of Jean McConville and with being a member of the IRA, both of which he has denied. |
| Police will now send a dossier to the Public Prosecution Service in Belfast, who will then decide if any further action against Mr Adams should be taken. | Police will now send a dossier to the Public Prosecution Service in Belfast, who will then decide if any further action against Mr Adams should be taken. |
| Earlier today senior Sinn Fein member Gerry Kelly spoke to Mr Adams at Anterim police station. | Earlier today senior Sinn Fein member Gerry Kelly spoke to Mr Adams at Anterim police station. |
| Mr Kelly said Mr Adams looked well, and said: “Like myself and all the members of Sinn Fein he believes that the timing of this was political, that the extension of it was political and he’s worried about the damage that it might be doing to the image of policing as well and that it’s been mishandled in that type of fashion.” | Mr Kelly said Mr Adams looked well, and said: “Like myself and all the members of Sinn Fein he believes that the timing of this was political, that the extension of it was political and he’s worried about the damage that it might be doing to the image of policing as well and that it’s been mishandled in that type of fashion.” |
| Mr Adams, 65, was understood to have been questioned for up to 17 hours a day by detectives over the 1972 murder of Jean McConville, and for being a member of the IRA, which he denied. | Mr Adams, 65, was understood to have been questioned for up to 17 hours a day by detectives over the 1972 murder of Jean McConville, and for being a member of the IRA, which he denied. |
| Police had until 8pm today to charge or release Mr Adams after a judge gave police a 48-hour extension to question Mr Adams on Friday. | Police had until 8pm today to charge or release Mr Adams after a judge gave police a 48-hour extension to question Mr Adams on Friday. |
| Mr Adams, the former MP for West Belfast and currently an elected representative for County Louth in the republic of Ireland, presented himself at Antrim police station on Wednesday evening for questioning in connection with the murder of Ms McConville, one of Northern Ireland’s disappeared who was wrongly accused of being a British Army informant by the IRA. | Mr Adams, the former MP for West Belfast and currently an elected representative for County Louth in the republic of Ireland, presented himself at Antrim police station on Wednesday evening for questioning in connection with the murder of Ms McConville, one of Northern Ireland’s disappeared who was wrongly accused of being a British Army informant by the IRA. |
| The 37-year-old widow and mother of 10 was dragged out of her house in front of her children by the IRA in 1972, abducted, shot, and secretly buried. | The 37-year-old widow and mother of 10 was dragged out of her house in front of her children by the IRA in 1972, abducted, shot, and secretly buried. |
| Ms McConville’s body was not found until 2003, when it was recovered from a beach in County Louth. | Ms McConville’s body was not found until 2003, when it was recovered from a beach in County Louth. |
| Martin McGuinness, Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister, has branded Mr Adam’s arrest as an effort by some police officers to “settle old scores, whatever the political cost”. | Martin McGuinness, Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister, has branded Mr Adam’s arrest as an effort by some police officers to “settle old scores, whatever the political cost”. |
| At a rally held on Saturday, at which a mural of Mr Adams was unveiled naming him a “peacemaker, leader, visionary”, Mr McGuinness said: “In my view, this is a failed attempt at the replay of the effort in 1978 to charge Gerry Adams with membership of the IRA. That case was based on hearsay, gossip and newspaper articles. | At a rally held on Saturday, at which a mural of Mr Adams was unveiled naming him a “peacemaker, leader, visionary”, Mr McGuinness said: “In my view, this is a failed attempt at the replay of the effort in 1978 to charge Gerry Adams with membership of the IRA. That case was based on hearsay, gossip and newspaper articles. |
| Mr McGuinness accused the PSNI of using the “same old dirty tricks” as were employed thirty-six years previously, “deliberately and cynically exploiting the awful killing of Jean McConville and the grief and hurt inflicted on her family”. | Mr McGuinness accused the PSNI of using the “same old dirty tricks” as were employed thirty-six years previously, “deliberately and cynically exploiting the awful killing of Jean McConville and the grief and hurt inflicted on her family”. |
| Sinn Fein signed up to support the PSNI in 2007, which was seen at the time as a landmark in the peace process. Mr McGuiness said his republican party would review their support for the police service if Mr Adams is charged, however. | Sinn Fein signed up to support the PSNI in 2007, which was seen at the time as a landmark in the peace process. Mr McGuiness said his republican party would review their support for the police service if Mr Adams is charged, however. |
| Ms McConville’s son Michael told BBC Radio4’s Today programme last week that he knew the names of some of the people that he believes are his mother’s killers, but that he would never reveal them to police. | Ms McConville’s son Michael told BBC Radio4’s Today programme last week that he knew the names of some of the people that he believes are his mother’s killers, but that he would never reveal them to police. |
| He said: “I do know the names of the people, I’ve never told anyone. | He said: “I do know the names of the people, I’ve never told anyone. |
| “I wouldn’t tell the police. If I told the police now a thing, me or one of my family members or one of my children would get shot by those people.” | “I wouldn’t tell the police. If I told the police now a thing, me or one of my family members or one of my children would get shot by those people.” |
| But his sister, Helen McKendry, has said she is “no longer afraid” to speak out and is willing to “name names” to the police. | But his sister, Helen McKendry, has said she is “no longer afraid” to speak out and is willing to “name names” to the police. |
| She told the Guardian: “If full co-operation into the murder of my mother includes naming those who I saw bursting into our flat, who dragged my mother away from us at gunpoint, and who were directly involved in her disappearance and murder, then yes – I would be prepared to name names.” | She told the Guardian: “If full co-operation into the murder of my mother includes naming those who I saw bursting into our flat, who dragged my mother away from us at gunpoint, and who were directly involved in her disappearance and murder, then yes – I would be prepared to name names.” |