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Decision time over Adams arrest

May 2, 2014

Police in Northern Ireland have just a few hours left to question republican leader Gerry Adams who was arrested over a 1972 IRA murder. The British and Irish governments have denied any political motive for the arrest.

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Gerry Adams
Image: Peter Muhly/AFP/Getty Images

Police have until Friday evening to decide whether to release or charge Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams.

Adams was arrested in connection with the abduction and murder of mother-of-ten Jean McConville on Wednesday. He handed himself in for questioning but has denied any involvement in the killing.

McConville was taken from her flat in the Northern Irish capital of Belfast at the height of nationalist violence in 1972 after she was falsely accused of being an informer for British security services.

The Irish Republican Army (IRA) admitted her murder in 1999. Her body wasn't discovered until 2003.

Adams has denied ever being a member of the IRA. He has, however, headed its former political wing, Sinn Fein since 1983.

The IRA was responsible for numerous bombings and shootings during three decades of violence, known as the Troubles.

'Dark side' to NI police

On Thursday Northern Ireland's deputy first minister and leading member of Sinn Fein, Martin McGuiness said the arrest of Adams was a "deliberate attempt to influence the outcome" of elections in three weeks time.

He also accused the Police Service of Northern Ireland of containing a "dark side" which was "maliciously and vehemently hostile" to Northern Ireland's peace process.

The allegations were rejected by British Prime Minister David Cameron and Irish Republic Prime Minister Enda Kenny.

Cameron told Britain's Sky News that there had been "absolutely no political interference in this issue."

"We have independent policing authorities, independent prosecuting authorities," Cameron said.

Kenny, who is Irish Taoiseach [prime minister], said the "most important fact" was that a "live investigation" was continuing.

"All I can say is that I hope the president of Sinn Fein answers in the best way he can, to the fullest extent that he can, questions that are being asked about a live murder investigation," Kenny said.

Kenny's party, Fine Gael, said Sinn Fein's suggestion of a political motivation were "baseless and desperate."

Sinn Fein currently shares power with its old foe, the pro-British Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in the devolved government in Belfast.

ccp/hc (AFP, Reuters, AP)