Update (3.19pm): Gerry Adams has said that claims that he was involved in the murder of Denis Donaldson are a lie.
His comments come after a BBC Spotlight programme claimed to have evidence that Mr Adams ordered the killing of the IRA informer.
“It’s a lie,” he said today.
“And I totally repudiate it and categorically and specifically deny it.
He added: “It’s in the hands of my solicitor at this time, but more importantly we have to look at what’s behind this agenda.
“I mean, the person who made this allegation – [an] anonymous, unnamed, self-professed agent of the British State – so whose agenda is that serving?
“This was an attempt to rewrite history.”
Earlier:
Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin has called on Gerry Adams to admit that he was a member of the IRA, claiming there is “not a child in Ireland” who doesn’t believe this, writes Elaine Loughlin, Political Reporter.
Reacting to the BBC Spotlight investigation aired last night, which included testimony from an anonymous IRA agent who alleged that Mr Adams sanctioned the killing of Denis Donaldson, Mr Howlin said: “There is something surreal about a situation where Gerry Adams maintains he was never a member of the IRA.”
Speaking at the National Ploughing Championships this morning, Mr Howlin said: “I don’t think there is a child in Ireland who believes that.
“I don’t know obviously whether he was involved in the Donaldson murder at all good, bad or indifferent.
“But when a serious programme that has highlighted serious matters in the past, many of which have been latched upon by Gerry Adams and Sinn Féin, who laud the Spotlight programme when they point the finger at others, he obviously needs to be clear about the allegations that were made last night by Spotlight about himself.
“I can think of many instances when Spotlight similarly used anonymous sources, or clandestine camera work and so on and when it suited his agenda he was very much in favour of that.”
Elsewhere Taoiseach Enda Kenny was also asked about the claims when he sat down with reporters this morning.
“I have no verification of a claim made by a former IRA member,” he said.
“There are issues of Gerry Adam’s past that only he can deal with. If he wants to deal with the truth and explain that to people, then he should do so.”
