Adams vows action against BBC over Donaldson allegations

Denis Donaldson, 55, a Sinn Fein official and close colleague of Mr Adams, was shot dead at an isolated cottage in Co Donegal in 2006.

He had been living in the remote area following his exposure as a state agent the year before his death.

A recent BBC Spotlight programme alleged it was the Sinn Fein president who sanctioned the killing of Mr Donaldson.

The Spotlight allegation was made, on an anonymous basis, by a man who claimed he was also a paid state agent within the IRA.

Mr Adams, who has always denied he was in the IRA, branded the documentary “nonsense” and last week said he specifically and categorically denied the allegation that he had any involvement in ordering the murder.

Thursday’s edition of the Andersonstown News reported the Sinn Fein president as saying: “I have been consulting with my lawyers and we will now be taking action against the BBC in relation to the totally false allegation contained within the BBC Spotlight broadcast.”

He told the paper he would not be making any further comment on the matter.

It is understood Mr Adams and his lawyers want to pursue the matter as far as possible but he declined to comment further when pressed if that would mean taking a lawsuit in the courts.

Mr Adams said last week that he would not be reluctant to sue if he was advised to.

A spokeswoman for the BBC said: “The Spotlight programme dealt with matters of great public interest and the BBC stands by its journalism.”

In relation to the newspaper claim yesterday, the BBC said it had “not heard from Mr Adams’ lawyers since the programme was broadcast”.

Dissident republican group the Real IRA claimed responsibility for the killing in 2009 but the circumstances surrounding Mr Donaldson’s outing as a British agent and subsequent death have long been shrouded in mystery.

Mr Adams also accused anti-Sinn Fein elements within the British establishment of concocting the claims over who sanctioned the murder.