‘IRA victims will be angered and bewildered’: Unionists call for inquiry into Gerry Adams’ activities during The Troubles after Supreme Court overturns his convictions for trying to escape the Maze Prison in the 1970s

IRA victims will be left ‘angered and bewildered’ by today’s Supreme Court ruling overturning Gerry Adam’s convictions for trying to escape the Maze Prison in the 1970s and deeming his detention unlawful, unionists have said. The Supreme Court today agreed the former Sinn Fein leader’s two 1975 convictions were unsafe because his detention was not ‘personally considered’ by Willie Whitelaw, the secretary of state for Northern Ireland at the time.  Mr Adams was interned at the Maze – also known as Long Kesh – in 1972 as an IRA suspect and tried to escape on Christmas Eve 1973 and again in July 1974, that time using a lookalike who was kidnapped at a bus stop and substituted for the Republican leader.  The 71-year-old, whose alleged membership of the IRA has dogged him throughout his involvement in the peace process and up to the present day – despite his repeated denials - was later sentenced to a total of four-and-a-half years for both failed getaways.  Commenting on today’s ruling, Steve Aiken, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, who have called for an enquiry into Mr Adams’ activities during the Troubles, said: ‘Mr Adams is able to go into a British court more than 40 years… Read full this story

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'IRA victims will be angered and bewildered': Unionists call for inquiry into Gerry Adams' activities during The Troubles after Supreme Court overturns his convictions for trying to escape the Maze Prison in the 1970s have 302 words, post on www.dailymail.co.uk at May 13, 2020. This is cached page on VietMaz. If you want remove this page, please contact us.