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| McConville fight for justice goes on as Adams freed | McConville fight for justice goes on as Adams freed |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The son of Jean McConville, a mother-of-10 murdered by the IRA more than 40 years ago, has said his family's fight for justice will go on. | The son of Jean McConville, a mother-of-10 murdered by the IRA more than 40 years ago, has said his family's fight for justice will go on. |
| Michael McConville was speaking after Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams was released without charge after being questioned over the 1972 killing. | Michael McConville was speaking after Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams was released without charge after being questioned over the 1972 killing. |
| Mr Adams claimed there was a "sustained, malicious, untruthful campaign" against him. | Mr Adams claimed there was a "sustained, malicious, untruthful campaign" against him. |
| Mr McConville said his family would fight "to the bitter end" for justice. | Mr McConville said his family would fight "to the bitter end" for justice. |
| Jean McConville, a 37-year-old widow, was abducted from her Belfast home, shot and secretly buried. Her body was found on a beach in County Louth in 2003. | Jean McConville, a 37-year-old widow, was abducted from her Belfast home, shot and secretly buried. Her body was found on a beach in County Louth in 2003. |
| "These have been quite difficult days for the McConville family and they have been very stressful. We would like the people to know that the family is going to stay to the bitter end until we get justice for our mother," Michael McConville said. | "These have been quite difficult days for the McConville family and they have been very stressful. We would like the people to know that the family is going to stay to the bitter end until we get justice for our mother," Michael McConville said. |
| "We know it is going to be a long road, but we have already been fighting for justice for 40 odd years and we are not going to stop now." | "We know it is going to be a long road, but we have already been fighting for justice for 40 odd years and we are not going to stop now." |
| 'Pernicious' | |
| Mr Adams, the former MP for West Belfast and current representative for County Louth in the Irish parliament, presented himself for interview by prior arrangement with detectives on Wednesday night. | Mr Adams, the former MP for West Belfast and current representative for County Louth in the Irish parliament, presented himself for interview by prior arrangement with detectives on Wednesday night. |
| He was then arrested under the terrorism act for questioning about the IRA murder of mother-of-10 Mrs McConville. | He was then arrested under the terrorism act for questioning about the IRA murder of mother-of-10 Mrs McConville. |
| He was freed four days later on Sunday. Police said a file would be sent to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS). | He was freed four days later on Sunday. Police said a file would be sent to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS). |
| Speaking at a press conference in Belfast following his release, Mr Adams said he had contacted Northern Ireland police two months ago about the McConville case. | Speaking at a press conference in Belfast following his release, Mr Adams said he had contacted Northern Ireland police two months ago about the McConville case. |
| He questioned the timing of his arrest in the middle of an election campaign and claimed they could have used discretion rather than "pernicious, coercive legislation" to deal with the matter. | He questioned the timing of his arrest in the middle of an election campaign and claimed they could have used discretion rather than "pernicious, coercive legislation" to deal with the matter. |
| The Sinn Féin leader said during his time in custody, police had conducted 33 taped interviews and detectives had presented him with old photographs of himself and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and with interviews conducted by people who were "enemies of the peace process". | The Sinn Féin leader said during his time in custody, police had conducted 33 taped interviews and detectives had presented him with old photographs of himself and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and with interviews conducted by people who were "enemies of the peace process". |
| He said he did not go to Antrim police station "expecting special treatment", but said his arrest had sent out the "wrong signal". | He said he did not go to Antrim police station "expecting special treatment", but said his arrest had sent out the "wrong signal". |
| He again said he was innocent of any involvement in Jean McConville's murder. | He again said he was innocent of any involvement in Jean McConville's murder. |
| He said Sinn Féin remained fully committed to the political process in Northern Ireland. "The IRA is gone, it's finished," he said. | He said Sinn Féin remained fully committed to the political process in Northern Ireland. "The IRA is gone, it's finished," he said. |
| "I want to make it clear that I support the PSNI." | "I want to make it clear that I support the PSNI." |
| On Sunday, as loyalists blocked the front of the police station, Mr Adams was taken out by a different exit. | On Sunday, as loyalists blocked the front of the police station, Mr Adams was taken out by a different exit. |
| The decision to release Mr Adams means that prosecution lawyers will decide if charges will be brought. | The decision to release Mr Adams means that prosecution lawyers will decide if charges will be brought. |
| The file sent by the police to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) will detail the evidence gathered. | The file sent by the police to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) will detail the evidence gathered. |
| It will be up to PPS lawyers to decide if there is enough evidence to bring any charges and what those charges would be. | It will be up to PPS lawyers to decide if there is enough evidence to bring any charges and what those charges would be. |
| The test for prosecution is met if there is sufficient evidence that can be admitted in court to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction. Lawyers must also decide if the prosecution is required in the public interest. | The test for prosecution is met if there is sufficient evidence that can be admitted in court to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction. Lawyers must also decide if the prosecution is required in the public interest. |
| It could take some time for police to prepare the file for the PPS, with prosecutors then taking a further period to assess whatever evidence is presented. | It could take some time for police to prepare the file for the PPS, with prosecutors then taking a further period to assess whatever evidence is presented. |
| Northern Ireland's director of public prosecutions, Barra McGrory QC, is a former solicitor for Mr Adams and so will delegate a decision on the file to his deputy. | Northern Ireland's director of public prosecutions, Barra McGrory QC, is a former solicitor for Mr Adams and so will delegate a decision on the file to his deputy. |
| Mrs McConville is one of Northern Ireland's Disappeared, those who were abducted, murdered and buried in secret by republicans during the Troubles. | Mrs McConville is one of Northern Ireland's Disappeared, those who were abducted, murdered and buried in secret by republicans during the Troubles. |
| She was kidnapped from her home in Divis Flats in west Belfast in front of her children after being wrongly accused of being an informer to the British Army. | She was kidnapped from her home in Divis Flats in west Belfast in front of her children after being wrongly accused of being an informer to the British Army. |
| Boston College tapes | Boston College tapes |
| Last month, Ivor Bell, 77, a leader in the Provisional IRA in the 1970s, was charged with aiding and abetting the murder, and there have also been a number of other arrests recently. | Last month, Ivor Bell, 77, a leader in the Provisional IRA in the 1970s, was charged with aiding and abetting the murder, and there have also been a number of other arrests recently. |
| The case against Mr Bell is based on an interview he allegedly gave to researchers at Boston College in the US. | The case against Mr 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. |
| One of the academics involved at the outset of the project said it had been "a car crash". | |
| Lord Bew of Queen's University, Belfast, said: "I think that one of the sad things is that, first of all most importantly, not one whit of improvement has occurred for those who have suffered during the Troubles. | |
| "Academically, there is a freeze now around all similar projects and that has to be regretted." |