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Boston College Says It Will Return Interviews About Northern Ireland Boston College Says It Will Return Interviews About Northern Ireland
(4 months later)
BOSTON — Boston College officials said Tuesday that they would relinquish their secret interviews with former Irish paramilitaries if the interviewees, who spoke years ago under a guarantee of confidentiality, wanted them back. BOSTON — Boston College officials said Tuesday that they would relinquish their secret interviews with former Irish paramilitaries if the interviewees, who spoke years ago under a guarantee of confidentiality, wanted them back.
The college, which is the repository for an oral history project on the Troubles in Northern Ireland, was forced by court order last year to give up tapes and transcripts of some of the highly sensitive interviews to the Police Service of Northern Ireland as it investigates unsolved murders and disappearances.The college, which is the repository for an oral history project on the Troubles in Northern Ireland, was forced by court order last year to give up tapes and transcripts of some of the highly sensitive interviews to the Police Service of Northern Ireland as it investigates unsolved murders and disappearances.
The release of the material alarmed many who had cooperated with the project, and they have been seeking to retrieve their own interviews. The college said it could not provide them until now because the archives had been closed by the United States Department of Justice until the litigation was over.The release of the material alarmed many who had cooperated with the project, and they have been seeking to retrieve their own interviews. The college said it could not provide them until now because the archives had been closed by the United States Department of Justice until the litigation was over.
The interviews that were released earlier provided the basis for the surprising arrest last week of Gerry Adams, the president of Sinn Fein, the former political arm of the Irish Republican Army and now one of Northern Ireland’s leading parties.The interviews that were released earlier provided the basis for the surprising arrest last week of Gerry Adams, the president of Sinn Fein, the former political arm of the Irish Republican Army and now one of Northern Ireland’s leading parties.
He was held for questioning in the 1972 abduction and murder of Jean McConville, a widow and mother of 10 children who was suspected, wrongly, of being an informant for the British Army.He was held for questioning in the 1972 abduction and murder of Jean McConville, a widow and mother of 10 children who was suspected, wrongly, of being an informant for the British Army.
Mr. Adams, who was released from custody Sunday and has strongly denied any involvement in Ms. McConville’s murder, said that most of the questions asked during his interrogation stemmed from allegations made in the oral history project.Mr. Adams, who was released from custody Sunday and has strongly denied any involvement in Ms. McConville’s murder, said that most of the questions asked during his interrogation stemmed from allegations made in the oral history project.
Mr. Adams repeated his longtime contention that the project, conducted from 2001 to 2006 by Ed Moloney and Anthony McIntyre under the auspices of Boston College, was biased because it interviewed people who opposed him and his party’s efforts to establish peace.Mr. Adams repeated his longtime contention that the project, conducted from 2001 to 2006 by Ed Moloney and Anthony McIntyre under the auspices of Boston College, was biased because it interviewed people who opposed him and his party’s efforts to establish peace.
A total of 200 interviews were conducted with 46 participants caught up in the Troubles. When a court ruling ordered the release last year of sections of 11 interviews to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, some participants feared that their own accounts could be exposed.A total of 200 interviews were conducted with 46 participants caught up in the Troubles. When a court ruling ordered the release last year of sections of 11 interviews to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, some participants feared that their own accounts could be exposed.
“The purpose in returning the interviews is to accommodate the requests of interviewees who fear for safety in light of the recent actions taken by the P.S.N.I.,” Jack Dunn, a spokesman for Boston College, wrote in an email. “Those interviews that are not requested for return will remain in our possession.”“The purpose in returning the interviews is to accommodate the requests of interviewees who fear for safety in light of the recent actions taken by the P.S.N.I.,” Jack Dunn, a spokesman for Boston College, wrote in an email. “Those interviews that are not requested for return will remain in our possession.”
Mr. Moloney, a journalist living in New York and the director of the oral history project, said Tuesday that he welcomed the college’s offer.Mr. Moloney, a journalist living in New York and the director of the oral history project, said Tuesday that he welcomed the college’s offer.
He said he had become so frustrated that the college had not returned the material to the interviewees that at one point he even called for it to be destroyed rather than risk its release. “They should not belong in Boston College, it is not a fit place,” Mr. Moloney said Tuesday. “Boston College failed in its basic duty to protect these interviews.”He said he had become so frustrated that the college had not returned the material to the interviewees that at one point he even called for it to be destroyed rather than risk its release. “They should not belong in Boston College, it is not a fit place,” Mr. Moloney said Tuesday. “Boston College failed in its basic duty to protect these interviews.”
Mr. Dunn said that the college fought releasing the material for years. “Given the investment by the Irish, British and American governments in the peace process,” he said, “no one thought that release of these materials would happen or be allowed to happen.”Mr. Dunn said that the college fought releasing the material for years. “Given the investment by the Irish, British and American governments in the peace process,” he said, “no one thought that release of these materials would happen or be allowed to happen.”
The original interviews were recorded digitally and with a cassette tape backup, Mr. Moloney said. They were then transcribed, by someone whose identity he would not reveal, and all original materials, including the transcripts, were deposited at Boston College’s John J. Burns Library. He said no copies were made.The original interviews were recorded digitally and with a cassette tape backup, Mr. Moloney said. They were then transcribed, by someone whose identity he would not reveal, and all original materials, including the transcripts, were deposited at Boston College’s John J. Burns Library. He said no copies were made.
After the court order last year, the original sections of 11 interviews were turned over to the police service, he said, and copies were then made for the college.After the court order last year, the original sections of 11 interviews were turned over to the police service, he said, and copies were then made for the college.
All the material is now locked away in an undisclosed location, and neither Mr. Moloney nor Mr. Dunn said he knew where it was.All the material is now locked away in an undisclosed location, and neither Mr. Moloney nor Mr. Dunn said he knew where it was.