SAOIRSE32

Irish Times
03 November 2008

The rift at the heart of Northern Ireland’s government appeared to deepen today when the DUP accused Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams of withholding information on the whereabouts of the “Disappeared” victims of the Troubles.

While Mr Adamas has faced the allegation before, the sight of senior DUP members repeating it on the floor of the Assembly suggested a resolution to the long-running stand-off between the two main parties in the power-sharing administration was as far away as ever.

The cabinet has not met for more than four months amid deadlock over a series of outstanding issues, such as a timetable for the devolution of policing powers and legislative protection for Irish speakers.

During a debate on the continuing search for the bodies of people abducted and killed by republicans during the conflict, North Belfast MLA Nelson McCausland accused Mr Adams of being the Belfast Commander of the IRA in the 1970s and of setting up specialist units which killed and disposed of so-called informers.

While relatives of the Disappeared looked on from the public gallery, DUP chairman Lord Morrow later backed Mr McCausland’s claims.

However, the Sinn Fein president strongly refuted the allegations before adding that the IRA continued to assist in the process of finding the remains.

The bodies of fifteen Catholics killed by republicans during the Troubles were buried in secret locations.

Following the setting up of a special commission to locate the remains in 1999, four bodies have been found.

Mr McCausland said Mr Adams had information about the Disappeared and called on him to tell the truth.

“Of course Gerry Adams has always sought to distance himself from the whole gruesome episode but the fact is we don’t believe him,” he said.

“The violence is over and for that we are glad but is it not time for Adams to show some remorse for these crimes, is it not time that he showed some remorse for the evil inflicted on so many families by the organisation that he commanded?”

Mr Adams denied the claims laid against him.

“Before I speak to this motion, which I am supporting, I want to deny and refute the assertion made by Mr McCausland,” he said.

“I want to commend and support all the families that have suffered a grievous injustice and who have campaigned with dignity for many years to locate the remains of their loved ones and I want to welcome them here today.”

Speaker of the House William Hay said he had some concerns about the remarks made during the debate and would be seeking to review them.

By Emily Moulton
Belfast Telegraph
Tuesday, 4 November 2008

UDA boss Jackie McDonald was given a fast-tracked Irish passport by the husband of Irish President Mary McAleese so he could attend a Rangers game.

In First Citizen: Mary McAleese and the Irish Presidency, the south Belfast brigadier glowingly speaks of his relationship with the McAleeses — which began following a meeting in the Taughmonagh social club in February 2003 — saying he hoped they would be “friends forever”.

He explains that when he realised visa problems were going to prevent him from attending the Rangers match, Martin McAleese, who he had just met months earlier, helped him get an Irish passport in time so he could attend.

In the biography on the Irish President’s life, written by journalist Patsy McGarry, McDonald says “southern intermediaries” collected his application in Belfast before bringing it to Dublin for “speedy processing”, the Irish News reported.

Once it was approved, Mr McAleese presented the loyalist leader with the passport in Farmleigh House, Dublin, after he met Mrs McAleese for the first time.

The book also revealed that last year, Mr McAleese arranged tickets for the Ireland versus England rugby match at Croke Park for McDonald and three of his friends and that when the south Belfast brigadier met the Irish President for the first time he presented her with champagne, a bunch of flowers, a box of chocolates, an Ulster flag and a Rangers scarf for her father.

It also contains details of their second meeting at Aras An Uachtarain, Mrs McAleese’s residence in Phoenix Park, where he gave her a rose bush telling her: “I hope it blossoms like our friendship”.

The third time they met McDonald bought a crystal clock engraved with Mr and Mrs McAleese’s names and the words “a united notion”.

McDonald was jailed for 10 years in the 1980s for blackmail, extortion and threats to kill.

His relationship with the McAleeses has been well publicised and led to a series of meetings with other dignitaries in the Republic, including former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who he met at Mrs McAleese’s second inauguration in 2004.

In the book, McDonald said he asked the president to stand for a second term and initially turned down an invitation to the inauguration because he “didn’t want to get her into bother”.

“But she said: ‘You are my friend’,” he said.

It was there that he met Mr Ahern.

“That contact helped. A lot (in Northern Ireland) are very wary of supporting people like myself but because of Bertie and the president, it has made it easier for others to talk to me,” McDonald said.

Asked about his relationship with the prominent couple, he added: “I hope we will be friends forever. They are fantastic.”

The biography also charts the president’s journey from her nationalist, working class background to becoming a law student at Queen’s, marrying husband Martin — after a brief engagement to another man — working as a reporter at RTE and eventually being elected as president.

News Letter
04 November 2008

DUP MLA Nelson McCausland has been removed from the Assembly chamber at Stormont for alleging Gerry Adams played a leading role in the IRA.

The North Belfast representative was applauded by party colleagues on Tuesdaay morning as he was requested to leave when he refused to withdraw remarks made at an earlier debate on Monday.

Mr McCausland has been suspended for one day for his actions.

During a debate on the continuing search for the bodies of the Disappeared, the DUP man accused Mr Adams of being the Belfast commander of the IRA in the 1970s and setting up special units which killed and disposed of so-called informers.

“Of course Gerry Adams has always sought to distance himself from the whole gruesome episode but the fact is we don’t believe him,” Mr McCausland said.

“The violence is over and for that we are glad but is it not time for Adams to show some remorse for these crimes, is it not time that he showed some remorse for the evil inflicted on so many families by the organisation he commanded?”

The Sinn Fein president refuted the allegations made against him.