NI police get another 48 hours to question Gerry Adams

“Detectives from PSNI Serious Crime Branch investigating the abduction and murder of Jean McConveille in 1972 have been granted an extra 48 hours to interview the 65-year-old man who was rrested in connection with the investigation on Wednesday,” a spokesman said.

Senior Sinn Fein Stormont assembly member Gerry Kelly has claimed the arrest and continued detention of Mr Adams was deliberately timed to coincide with the elections in three weeks’ time.

He stated: “This is political policing at its most blatant. Sinn Fein will not be intimidated by the action of a small cabal in the PSNI who are opposed to the peace process and political change.”

Earlier, Martin McGuinness, Northern Ireland‘s deputy first minister, said the timing of Adams’s arrest in connection with the 1972 killing of the mother-of-three was “politically motivated” and blamed a “dark side” of the police service.

Mr Adams, the former MP for West Belfast and now a representative in the Irish parliament, voluntarily presented himself for interview at a police station by prior arrangement with detectives on Wednesday. He denies any involvement in the murder.

Notorious murder

Mrs McConville was dragged screaming from her children at the family’s home in the Divis flats in west Belfast by a gang of up to 12 men and women in 1972, after being accused of working as an informer for the British authorities.

Her body was not found until 2003 on a beach 50 miles from here home. She had been interrogated and shot in the back of the head. The IRA did not admit responsibility until 1999.

An investigation carried out by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman has rejected the claims that Mrs McConville was an informer.

No one has ever been charged with the murder of the 37-year-old widow but there have been a series of arrests in recent weeks.

Veteran republican Ivor Bell, 77, was charged in March with aiding and abetting the murder. Five other people have been detained and questioned.

Mrs McConville’s eldest daughter Helen McKendry told BBC2’s Newsnight this week that she was finally prepared to name the people responsible for her mother’s death.

She said: “What are they going to do to me? They have done so much to me in the last 42 years. Are they going to come and put a bullet in my head? Well they know where I live.”

She added: “I have always believed that Gerry Adams was involved in the murder of my mother. Till the day I die, I will believe that.”

Earlier, her brother Michael McConville had told the BBC he was not prepared to identify the killers for fear of reprisals.

Adams: ‘I am innocent’

Mr Adams said on Wednesday: “I believe that the killing of Jean McConville and the secret burial of her body was wrong and a grievous injustice to her and her family,” he said on Wednesday.

“Well-publicised, malicious allegations have been made against me. I reject these.

“While I have never disassociated myself from the IRA and I never will, I am innocent of any part in the abduction, killing or burial of Mrs McConville.”

Mr Adams has always denied IRA membership or any role in Mrs McConville’s death and said in March he would be available to meet detectives if they wished to speak with him.

He presented himself at the police station by prior arrangement and issued a statement through his party minutes after the PSNI announced an arrest had been made.

‘Dark forces’

Mr McGuinness accused “very senior people” in the PSNI who were opposed to the peace process of engaging in “political policing” by arresting Mr Adams just weeks before the European elections.

He said: “There is a cabal in the PSNI who have a different agenda – a negative and destuctive agenda – to both the peace process and to Sinn Fein, their agenda to effectively impact on the elections in three weeks’ time.

“Do people think we are stupid or think that we are naive? What other conclusion can we come to than that this is a very deliberate attempt to have an impact on those elections?”

He added that he expected Mr Adams would be “totally and absolutely exonerated” and would continue to lead Sinn Fein.

Asked if Sinn Fein would withdraw support for policing if Mr Adams is charged, Mr McGuinness said: “We are very thoughtful and we are very reflective, but I think if such a scenario does develop then we will sit down and we will reflect on what will be an even more serious situation than the one we face today.”

He added: “We will have to review that situation and we will have to review that situation in the context of continuing with our very positive and constructive role within what is a vitally important peace process.”

Stormont’s justice minister, David Ford, said: “If there are dark forces within policing, I can see no sign of dark forces.”

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “There has been absolutely no political interference in this issue.”

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said: “The prime minister does appreciate the sensitivity of a case of this nature. He, like me, is anxious to ensure that the devolved institutions continue to work well and that the Northern Ireland political leaders continue to work with each other on the big challenges that we face.”