New court filings show that Northern Ireland authorities have widened the scope of their investigation into the Boston College archives of The Troubles  and are focusing on Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams.

The Northern Irish police now want everything in the BC oral history archive related to the murder of Jean McConville in 1972, a mother of ten who was shot by the IRA. Attempts have long been made to link Adams to the murder.

US federal authorities, acting on behalf of Northern Irish police have now subpoenaed “any and all interviews containing information about the abduction and death of Mrs. Jean McConville.’’

Previously they had wanted only the testimonies of Brendan Hughes and Dolours Price, two former Republican colleagues of Adams who later fell out with him.

Despite the fact that there are extensive interviews with Loyalist leaders on various murders on their side and other interviews with Republicans on other murders not connected to McConville, the Northern Irish authorities are showing no interest in pursuing those.

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Boston College has resisted the subpoena and has stated that the interviews were given on the basis of confidentiality.

Boston Globe columnist Kevin Cullen has slammed the attempt to use the information from the BC archives.

“At least we now know what this fishing expedition is all about. It’s about using the US government as a pawn in a blatantly political act, an attempt by police in Northern Ireland to certainly embarrass and possibly prosecute the Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams over McConville’s disappearance and murder,” he wrote

They are seeking only the 26 interviews with former IRA figures, none with Loyalist members and murders that were committed on that side.

Cullen writes “The feds, as proxies for British law enforcement, said they want only the 26 interviews of former IRA members. There is no interest in whatever crimes were discussed by loyalist paramilitaries who took part in the project.

Not only does this show a selective, politically motivated prosecution taking place, it underscores the seriousness of the threat to the power-sharing government in Northern Ireland, which is the cornerstone of the peace process.

“Given the hundreds of unsolved murders that took place during the Troubles, the idea that the only one of interest in those BC files happens to implicate the leader of the party that represents the majority of Irish nationalists in Northern Ireland shows what this is all about. This isn’t about justice.

It’s about revenge. And if this is followed through to its logical conclusion, the power-sharing government will collapse in a sea of recrimination."