It is “get Gerry Adams” time once again as claims by an alleged IRA informer, who is not even named, are jumped on by the media and politicians North and South, most blinded by their dislike of the success enjoyed by Sinn Fein in both parts of Ireland.
BBC's “Spotlight” program has become known as a rabid anti-Adams forum and has spent many years now seeking to do him down by connecting him to major crimes. They are linked to several British secret agencies who would like nothing better than to tempt the IRA back to war so they could become relevant again.
To their utter frustration, nothing has worked so far. Indeed Adams has become even more popular. What to do then for “Spotlight” and the securocrats but make up the latest fantasy story?
It involves the killing of IRA informer Denis Donaldson in 2006 in a remote Donegal cottage after he fled there when he was identified as an IRA informer. He admitted he was an MI5 informer for twenty years. The Real IRA claimed his murder.
"Spotlight" has declared Adams was involved in the killing based on (and I’m serious): “A man who says he worked as an informer for the intelligence branch of the police told 'Spotlight' that Mr Adams sanctioned the murder.”
“The former spy was in the IRA and Sinn Féin. He cannot be identified because of fears about his safety.”
So an anonymous informer (since known by the name Martin), who may or may not have been an informer, has made an allegation that Gerry Adams sanctioned the Denis Donaldson murder.
Read more: Gerry Adams says he will step down as Sinn Fein president in 10 year plan
And what type of information does he reveal to take this seriously?
Here’s what “Spotlight” offered as evidence:
Agent: I know from my experience in the IRA that murders have to be approved by the leadership. They have to be given approval by the leadership of the IRA and the military leadership of the IRA.
Presenter: Who are you specifically referring to?
Agent: Gerry Adams, he gives the final say.
This sound like an incredibly well informed informant, don't you think? Leadership takes decisions on military decisions and Gerry Adams is leader of Sinn Fein, therefore he was sanctioning the killings in between turning Sinn Fein – North and South – into a powerful political entity, managing the party's role in the peace process, nurturing the US relationship, dealing with British leaders and Irish government leaders etc.
This kind of fantasy world journalism would never make it past an editor in the US as long as the man would not identify himself after making such a serious allegation. But in Irish and British media anonymous informers with information the dog in the manger probably knows, for example IRA leadership made military decisions, are taken seriously
The politicians have jumped in. Leo Varadkar, tipped to be next leader of Fine Gael, stated it was time for Irish police to investigate Adams.
"Allegations are only allegations. But when it comes to Gerry Adams now, there are just so many allegations of his involvement in crime and murder and atrocities in the past."
Hmm... One could say that the Labour Party, so recently in coalition with Fine Gael, also had some characters allegedly involved in paramilitary activity when they were the old Official IRA.
Great, so Varadkar says it depends on the number of allegations. Varadkar might think about creating a new law if there are more than five allegations people should definitely be investigated.
It is not as if Gerry Adams has not been investigated from pillar to post this past 40 years, but Varadkar wouldn't care about that.
"Allegations are only allegations. But when it comes to Gerry Adams now, there are just so many allegations of his involvement in crime and murder and atrocities in the past."
Adams was not long making clear his own stance. "I specifically and categorically refute these unsubstantiated allegations," said Adams.
On the way 2 Ploughing.,doing LMFM's Mike Reid Show @ 9.30 on last night's BBC Spotlights totally untrue allegations about me.
— Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) September 21, 2016
The 'Spotlight' allegations were "part of the British security agencies ongoing attempts to smear republicans and cover-up their own actions," he added.
"There is a need for all these agencies to fully co-operate with the Ombudsman's investigation into the role of the police in the events that led to the killing of Denis Donaldson and for the gardaí to expedite their investigation to bring those responsible to justice."
Mark Moloney of An Phoblacht, the Sinn Fein paper, was also direct. He wrote: "An anonymous, self-proclaimed, unapologetic, paid British agent makes a number of allegations against Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams, which the informer acknowledges are based on nothing more than his hearsay, and a compliant media presents it as fact the next day.”
In their haste to do down Adams the Irish media North and South have done themselves an incredible disservice and undermined their own credibility to an extraordinary degree. As for the politicians, they’d rather focus on Adams than on the truth of the dirty war Britain waged in Northern Ireland for 30 years.
Somewhere Maggie Thatcher must be smiling.
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