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Sinn Fein Braces for Potential Fallout After Leader’s Arrest Sinn Fein Braces for Fallout After Arrest
(about 7 hours later)
DUBLIN — When Gerry Adams became president of Sinn Fein more than three decades ago, the party was regarded as nothing more than an irrelevant apologist for Irish Republican Army atrocities. It now shares power in Northern Ireland’s parliament, and in the Republic of Ireland it is riding high in the polls ahead of local and European elections later this month. DUBLIN — When Gerry Adams became president of Sinn Fein more than three decades ago, the party was regarded as an irrelevant apologist for Irish Republican Army atrocities. Now, it shares power in Northern Ireland’s Parliament, and in the Republic of Ireland it is riding high in the polls ahead of local and European elections this month.
Although it is too early to gauge the fallout, if any, from his arrest and detention on Wednesday in connection with the 1972 abduction of Jean McConville — a widowed mother of 10 whose killing is considered among the most emotive and heinous atrocities of the Northern Ireland conflict — the ghosts of the past continue to haunt him. Although it is too early to gauge the fallout, if any, from Mr. Adams’s arrest and detention on Wednesday in connection with the 1972 abduction of Jean McConville — a widowed mother of 10 whose killing is considered among the most emotive and heinous atrocities of the Northern Ireland conflict — the ghosts of the past continue to haunt him.
Unsurprisingly, his political opponents have wasted little time in attacking his credibility in the wake of his arrest. Unsurprisingly, his political opponents have wasted little time in attacking his credibility.
“Ominously for Gerry Adams, the accusations against him are coming directly from former colleagues of his in the republican movement; republicans who would have known precisely what was going on in subversive circles in Northern Ireland, particularly in Belfast, during the 1970s and 1980s,” Jim Nicholson, an Ulster Unionist Party member of the European Parliament, said in a statement following Mr. Adams’s arrest. “Ominously for Gerry Adams, the accusations against him are coming directly from former colleagues of his in the republican movement: republicans who would have known precisely what was going on in subversive circles in Northern Ireland, particularly in Belfast, during the 1970s and 1980s,” Jim Nicholson, an Ulster Unionist Party member of the European Parliament, said in a statement after the arrest.
“Very few of his associates in republicanism at that time believe the Gerry Adams spin that he was never in the I.R.A.,” Mr. Nicholson said. “Indeed, some are readily breaking ranks to reveal who were involved and what went on.”“Very few of his associates in republicanism at that time believe the Gerry Adams spin that he was never in the I.R.A.,” Mr. Nicholson said. “Indeed, some are readily breaking ranks to reveal who were involved and what went on.”
Such vitriol will cut little ice in still-polarized Northern Ireland, where Sinn Fein will likely remain the dominant nationalist party. But the real battle for hearts and minds will be in the Republic of Ireland, where Sinn Fein’s brand of left-leaning populism appeared to be poised to make strong gains in the May 23 elections before Mr. Adams’s arrest. Such criticism will cut little ice in still-polarized Northern Ireland, where Sinn Fein is likely to remain the dominant nationalist party. The real battle for hearts and minds will be in the Republic of Ireland, where Sinn Fein’s brand of left-leaning populism appeared poised, before Mr. Adams’s arrest, to make strong gains in the May 23 elections.
There is even speculation that the party could emerge to hold the balance of power after the next scheduled general election in 2016, which will be deeply symbolic as it falls on the centennial of the Easter Rising, which eventually ended British rule in 26 of the 32 counties of Ireland. Sinn Fein’s policy is to unite Ireland as a single sovereign state, effectively ending British rule in Northern Ireland. This is opposed by unionists in Northern Ireland. There is even speculation that the party could emerge with the balance of power after the next scheduled general election in 2016. That election will be deeply symbolic because it falls on the centennial of the Easter Rising, which eventually ended British rule in 26 of the 32 counties of Ireland. Sinn Fein’s policy is to unite Ireland as a single, sovereign state, effectively ending British control of Northern Ireland. Unionists in Northern Ireland oppose this.
The timing of Mr. Adams’s arrest has forced Sinn Fein into full damage-control mode. Mr. Adams’s arrest has forced Sinn Fein into full damage-control mode.
“I believe the timing of this latest decision by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (P.S.N.I.) is politically motivated and designed to damage Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein,” the party’s vice president, Mary Lou McDonald, said in a statement, denying in subsequent news media interviews that there was any threat to Mr. Adams’s leadership. “I believe the timing of this latest decision by the P.S.N.I. is politically motivated and designed to damage Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein,” the party’s vice president, Mary Lou McDonald, said in a statement, referring to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. She denied in subsequent interviews that there was any threat to Mr. Adams’s leadership.
Mr. Adams is one of the most recognizable faces of the Northern Ireland conflict internationally, but in recent years Sinn Fein has been eager to cultivate a new image, attracting many bright, engaging, photogenic individuals without the baggage of the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland, known as “the Troubles.” Internationally, Mr. Adams, 65, is one of the most recognizable faces of the Northern Ireland conflict. But in recent years Sinn Fein has been eager to cultivate a new image, attracting many bright, engaging, photogenic leaders without the baggage of the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles.
Ms. McDonald is the most senior and most recognizable of these figures. Unlike the present leadership of Mr. Adams, Martin McGuinness and Gerry Kelly, forged in the ferment of the Northern Ireland conflict and with strong paramilitary links, the new faces of Sinn Fein in election posters all across the country are mainly from the Republic of Ireland with little or no connection to the kind of organization Mr. Adams took over. Ms. McDonald is the most senior and most high-profile of these figures. Unlike the present leadership of Mr. Adams, Martin McGuinness and Gerry Kelly, which was forged in the ferment of the Northern Ireland conflict and has strong paramilitary links, the new faces of Sinn Fein in election posters across the country are mainly from the Republic of Ireland, with little or no connection to the kind of organization Mr. Adams took over.
Mr. Adams, 65, spent Wednesday night in custody at Antrim police station, 18 miles from Belfast. He can be held initially until 8 p.m. (G.M.T.) Thursday and for a further 24 hours on application. After that, the police would have to satisfy a judge that there was good reason for his continued detention. Mr. Adams spent Wednesday night in custody at Antrim police station, 18 miles from Belfast. His initial 24-hour period of detention ended at 8 p.m. on Thursday. Normally, after 48 hours in custody, a person is either charged with an offense or released. However, under certain circumstances, the authorities can apply to a court to further extend the period for up to seven days.
Hours before his scheduled appointment at the police station, Mr. Adams issued a statement reiterating his denial of any involvement in the crime. Hours before his scheduled appointment with the police, Mr. Adams issued a statement reiterating his denial of any involvement in the crime.
“While I have concerns about the timing, I am voluntarily meeting with the P.S.N.I. this evening,” he said. “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.”“While I have concerns about the timing, I am voluntarily meeting with the P.S.N.I. this evening,” he said. “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 added, “While I have never disassociated myself from the I.R.A. and I never will, I am innocent of any part in the abduction, killing or burial of Mrs. McConville.”He added, “While I have never disassociated myself from the I.R.A. and I never will, I am innocent of any part in the abduction, killing or burial of Mrs. McConville.”
Sinn Fein will now be anxiously awaiting the next set of opinion polls to assess any damage from the affair; the party hopes voters will agree the arrest has been little more than a cynical maneuver to impede its political success. Sinn Fein will now be anxiously awaiting the next set of opinion polls to assess any damage from the arrest.