Gerry Adams BBC libel case: Woman whose mother murdered in IRA Enniskillen Bomb poses question to ex-Sinn Fein leader
A woman whose mother was murdered by the IRA says Gerry Adams has serious questions to answer about what he knows about IRA terrorism.
Mr Adams recently took the BBC to court over a 2016 episode of its ‘Spotlight’ programme, and an accompanying online story, which he said defamed him by alleging he sanctioned the killing of former Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson, for which he denies any involvement.
Last Friday, a jury at the High Court in Dublin found in his favour and awarded him €100,000 (£84,000) after determining that was the meaning of words included in the programme and article.
The BBC will also have to pay the former Sinn Fein leader’s legal costs.
However, on Tuesday the broadcaster was granted a stay on paying out the full costs and damages to allow it time to consider whether to lodge an appeal.
The stay was subject to paying half the damages (€50,000 or £42,000) and €250,000 (£210,000) towards solicitors’ fees.
Aileen Quinton, whose mother Alberta was one of 12 killed in the IRA bomb attack at Enniskillen cenotaph in 1987, posed serious questions in the wake of the verdict.
“For me personally, Gerry Adams symbolises the IRA that robbed me of my mother and robbed so many other people of their loved ones and their wellbeing,” she said.
“My memory of him after IRA bomb attacks was usually saying something like, 'these things had to happen, you know'.
“It wasn't a proper and unequivocal condemnation. I'm just trying to imagine if I tried that trick when I was a child when I did something wrong: 'Well, I'm sorry mum, these things have to happen'.
“What would have happened? I would not have been let off the hook.”
One memory that particularly stands out for her is when Mr Adams publicly joked about the IRA that, ‘they haven't gone away you know’.
She believes Mr Adams should answer the following question in the public interest: “What knowledge does he have of other people's involvement in terrorist activity?”
She added: “When Martin McGuinness was on BBC Question Time, I wished someone would have asked him when he found out about the Enniskillen bomb? Was it before it went off?”
(According to BBC journalist Peter Taylor, British and Irish intelligence agencies reported that Martin McGuinness was personally involved in the planning of the attack.)
Ms Quinton added: “Even those people that are prepared to accept that the terrorist campaign was evil talk about it now as if it is in the past.
“But the evil of Sinn Fein-IRA continues in the present because they are still justifying the IRA campaign. The evil hasn't stopped. Tactics may have stopped and changed, but the evil is still there.”
Last week, Mr Adams’ legal team said the verdict of the jury was a “full vindication” for their client while the BBC said it was “disappointed” with the outcome.
Adam Smyth, the director of BBC Northern Ireland, said the broadcaster has insurance and “makes financial provision for ongoing and anticipated legal claims”.