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| McConville son says Gerry Adams 'threatened backlash' | McConville son says Gerry Adams 'threatened backlash' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A son of Jean McConville has said Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams warned him several years ago there would be a "backlash" if he released the names of those he believed killed her. | |
| Michael McConville told the BBC he took Mr Adams' remarks "as a threat". | |
| Mr Adams was released without charge on Sunday after being questioned for four days about the 1972 killing. | |
| The Sinn Fein president claimed there was a "sustained, malicious, untruthful campaign" against him. | |
| It is believed police had wanted to charge Mr Adams with IRA membership. | It is believed police had wanted to charge Mr Adams with IRA membership. |
| It is likely that police would have considered such a charge before he was released on Sunday night, but did not have sufficient evidence for a reasonable prospect of prosecution. | It is likely that police would have considered such a charge before he was released on Sunday night, but did not have sufficient evidence for a reasonable prospect of prosecution. |
| Jean McConville, a 37-year-old widow and mother-of-10, was abducted from her Belfast home, shot and secretly buried. Her body was found on a beach in County Louth in 2003. | Jean McConville, a 37-year-old widow and mother-of-10, was abducted from her Belfast home, shot and secretly buried. Her body was found on a beach in County Louth in 2003. |
| She was kidnapped from her home in Divis Flats in west Belfast in front of her children after being wrongly accused of being an informer for the British Army. | She was kidnapped from her home in Divis Flats in west Belfast in front of her children after being wrongly accused of being an informer for the British Army. |
| Her son Michael said his family would fight "to the bitter end" for justice. | Her son Michael said his family would fight "to the bitter end" for justice. |
| He said he had met Mr Adams around the time that the then Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan was drawing up a report that would go on to dismiss claims Mrs McConville was an informer. | He said he had met Mr Adams around the time that the then Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan was drawing up a report that would go on to dismiss claims Mrs McConville was an informer. |
| Mr McConville said: "Gerry Adams says to me, 'Michael, you are getting a letter of support from the republican people'. | Mr McConville said: "Gerry Adams says to me, 'Michael, you are getting a letter of support from the republican people'. |
| "He says 'if you release the names I hope you are ready for the backlash' - I took it as a threat." | "He says 'if you release the names I hope you are ready for the backlash' - I took it as a threat." |
| Mr Adams, the former MP for West Belfast and current representative for County Louth in the Irish parliament, presented himself for interview by prior arrangement with detectives on Wednesday night. | Mr Adams, the former MP for West Belfast and current representative for County Louth in the Irish parliament, presented himself for interview by prior arrangement with detectives on Wednesday night. |
| He was then arrested under the terrorism act for questioning about the IRA murder of Mrs McConville. | He was then arrested under the terrorism act for questioning about the IRA murder of Mrs McConville. |
| Speaking at a news conference in Belfast following his release, Mr Adams said he had contacted Northern Ireland police two months ago about the McConville case. | Speaking at a news conference in Belfast following his release, Mr Adams said he had contacted Northern Ireland police two months ago about the McConville case. |
| He questioned the timing of his arrest in the middle of an election campaign and claimed they could have used discretion rather than "pernicious, coercive legislation" to deal with the matter. | He questioned the timing of his arrest in the middle of an election campaign and claimed they could have used discretion rather than "pernicious, coercive legislation" to deal with the matter. |
| He again said he was innocent of any involvement in Mrs McConville's murder. | He again said he was innocent of any involvement in Mrs McConville's murder. |
| He said Sinn Féin remained fully committed to the political process in Northern Ireland. "The IRA is gone, it's finished," he said. | He said Sinn Féin remained fully committed to the political process in Northern Ireland. "The IRA is gone, it's finished," he said. |
| "I want to make it clear that I support the PSNI." | "I want to make it clear that I support the PSNI." |
| Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford said he "saw no reason" why Mr Adams' release without charge would damage confidence in the police. | Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford said he "saw no reason" why Mr Adams' release without charge would damage confidence in the police. |
| "With the way that Northern Ireland politics operates, there is never a good time to do anything - if it had been before Christmas it would have been the Haass talks; as soon as the election campaign is over, people would be talking about a difficult marching season," said the Alliance Party leader. | "With the way that Northern Ireland politics operates, there is never a good time to do anything - if it had been before Christmas it would have been the Haass talks; as soon as the election campaign is over, people would be talking about a difficult marching season," said the Alliance Party leader. |
| "You could always produce an excuse for the police not to do their duty at any time." | "You could always produce an excuse for the police not to do their duty at any time." |
| Evidence gathered | Evidence gathered |
| The decision to release Mr Adams means that prosecution lawyers will decide if charges will be brought. | The decision to release Mr Adams means that prosecution lawyers will decide if charges will be brought. |
| The file sent by the police to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) will detail the evidence gathered. | The file sent by the police to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) will detail the evidence gathered. |
| It will be up to PPS lawyers to decide if there is enough evidence to bring any charges and what those charges would be. | It will be up to PPS lawyers to decide if there is enough evidence to bring any charges and what those charges would be. |
| The test for prosecution is met if there is sufficient evidence that can be admitted in court to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction. Lawyers must also decide if the prosecution is required in the public interest. | The test for prosecution is met if there is sufficient evidence that can be admitted in court to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction. Lawyers must also decide if the prosecution is required in the public interest. |
| It could take some time for police to prepare the file for the PPS, with prosecutors then taking a further period to assess whatever evidence is presented. | It could take some time for police to prepare the file for the PPS, with prosecutors then taking a further period to assess whatever evidence is presented. |
| Last month, Ivor Bell, 77, a leader in the Provisional IRA in the 1970s, was charged with aiding and abetting the murder, and there have also been a number of other arrests recently. | Last month, Ivor Bell, 77, a leader in the Provisional IRA in the 1970s, was charged with aiding and abetting the murder, and there have also been a number of other arrests recently. |
| The case against Mr Bell is based on an interview he allegedly gave to researchers at Boston College in the US. | The case against Mr 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. |
| One of the academics involved at the outset of the project said it had been "a car crash". | One of the academics involved at the outset of the project said it had been "a car crash". |
| Lord Bew of Queen's University, Belfast, said: "I think that one of the sad things is that, first of all most importantly, not one whit of improvement has occurred for those who have suffered during the Troubles. | Lord Bew of Queen's University, Belfast, said: "I think that one of the sad things is that, first of all most importantly, not one whit of improvement has occurred for those who have suffered during the Troubles. |
| "Academically, there is a freeze now around all similar projects and that has to be regretted." | "Academically, there is a freeze now around all similar projects and that has to be regretted." |