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| Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams held over Jean McConville murder | Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams held over Jean McConville murder |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has been arrested by Northern Ireland police in connection with the 1972 murder of Jean McConville. | Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has been arrested by Northern Ireland police in connection with the 1972 murder of Jean McConville. |
| He presented himself to police on Wednesday evening and was arrested. | He presented himself to police on Wednesday evening and was arrested. |
| Speaking before his arrest, Mr Adams said he was "innocent of any part" in the murder. | Speaking before his arrest, Mr Adams said he was "innocent of any part" in the murder. |
| Mrs McConville, a 37-year-old widow and mother-of-10, was abducted from her flat in the Divis area of west Belfast and shot by the IRA. | |
| Her body was recovered from a beach in County Louth in 2003. | Her body was recovered from a beach in County Louth in 2003. |
| Police said a 65-year-old man presented himself to Antrim police station on Wednesday evening and was arrested. | Police said a 65-year-old man presented himself to Antrim police station on Wednesday evening and was arrested. |
| 'Malicious allegations' | 'Malicious allegations' |
| In a statement, Sinn Féin said: "Last month Gerry Adams said he was available to meet the PSNI about the Jean McConville case. That meeting is taking place this evening." | In a statement, Sinn Féin said: "Last month Gerry Adams said he was available to meet the PSNI about the Jean McConville case. That meeting is taking place this evening." |
| Mr Adams added: "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. | |
| "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." | "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." |
| Mrs McConville, one of Northern Ireland's Disappeared, was kidnapped in front of her children after being wrongly accused of being an informer. | Mrs McConville, one of Northern Ireland's Disappeared, was kidnapped in front of her children after being wrongly accused of being an informer. |
| Last month, Ivor Bell, 77, a leader in the Provisional IRA in the 1970s, was charged with aiding and abetting the murder. | Last month, Ivor Bell, 77, a leader in the Provisional IRA in the 1970s, was charged with aiding and abetting the murder. |
| There have also been a number of other arrests over the murder recently. | There have also been a number of other arrests over the murder recently. |
| The case against Bell is based on an interview he allegedly gave to researchers at Boston College in the US. | The case against Bell is based on an interview he allegedly gave to researchers at Boston College in the US. |
| The Boston College tapes are a series of candid, confessional interviews with former loyalist and republican paramilitaries, designed to be an oral history of the Troubles. | The Boston College tapes are a series of candid, confessional interviews with former loyalist and republican paramilitaries, designed to be an oral history of the Troubles. |
| The paramilitaries were told the tapes would only be made public after their deaths. | The paramilitaries were told the tapes would only be made public after their deaths. |
| However, after a series of court cases in the United States, some of the content has been handed over to the authorities. | However, after a series of court cases in the United States, some of the content has been handed over to the authorities. |
| Informer claim dismissed | Informer claim dismissed |
| The claim that Mrs McConville was an informer was dismissed after an official investigation by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman. | The claim that Mrs McConville was an informer was dismissed after an official investigation by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman. |
| She was held at one or more houses before being shot and buried in secret. | She was held at one or more houses before being shot and buried in secret. |
| The Disappeared are those who were abducted, murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Troubles. | The Disappeared are those who were abducted, murdered and secretly buried by republicans during the Troubles. |
| The IRA admitted in 1999 that it murdered and buried at secret locations nine of the Disappeared. | The IRA admitted in 1999 that it murdered and buried at secret locations nine of the Disappeared. |
| The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains was established in 1999 by a treaty between the British and Irish governments. | The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains was established in 1999 by a treaty between the British and Irish governments. |
| It lists 16 people as "disappeared". Despite extensive searches, the remains of seven of them have not been found. | It lists 16 people as "disappeared". Despite extensive searches, the remains of seven of them have not been found. |