BBC News NI crime and justice correspondent Julian O’Neill reported that the jury responsible for Gerry Adams’ libel case against the BBC is set to deliberate on its verdict next week. The case revolves around a 2016 Spotlight programme and online report where an anonymous source claimed the former Sinn Féin leader sanctioned the murder of British agent Denis Donaldson. Adams, aged 76, categorically denies the allegation, and the trial at the High Court in Dublin has spanned over four weeks.
During the trial, Mr. Justice Alexander Owens instructed the jury of seven men and five women to approach the case using common sense as ordinary members of the public. He emphasized that they are not required to make a historical judgment on Adams’ role in the peace process. The BBC has defended its case under Ireland’s 2009 Defamation Act, claiming fair and reasonable publication in the public interest. Adams argues that he was defamed in both the Spotlight programme and the accompanying online article, citing that the allegation was backed by five other sources.
Members of Denis Donaldson’s family, who watched the proceedings via video link, are integral to the case. Donaldson, a key figure in Sinn Féin, was murdered in 2006 after it was revealed that he had worked as a spy. Following the Good Friday Agreement, he was selected as Sinn Féin’s principal administrator in the Stormont offices. In 2005, Donaldson admitted to spying for British intelligence before disappearing from Belfast and later found dead in County Donegal. Gerry Adams, who led Sinn Féin from 1983 to 2018, played a crucial role in the peace talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement, ultimately culminating in the end of the Troubles. Adams denies any affiliation with the IRA and has served both as an MP and a TD in the Irish parliament
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
