Solicitor says Adams' name 'never mentioned' before BBC report

A solicitor acting for Denis Donaldson's household has said Gerry Adams' sanction was ne'er mentioned successful dealings with the BBC anterior to its Spotlight programme astatine the centre of a libel case.

Ciarán Shiels was called to springiness grounds astatine the High Court successful Dublin by Mr Adams' lawyers.

The erstwhile Sinn Féin person is suing the BBC implicit a claim, which helium denies, that helium sanctioned Mr Donaldson's execution successful 2006, aft helium was exposed arsenic a British agent.

Mr Shiels recounted his contacts with the BBC successful the months earlier the broadcast successful 2016.

He said the Donaldson household did not privation to enactment successful the documentary, and initially they had worries astir privateness issues.

He had respective interactions with Spotlight newsman Jennifer O'Leary, whom helium met and corresponded with.

Referring to Mr Adams, Mr Shiels told the court: "I don't deliberation his sanction was ever suggested. Nowhere. I would've remembered it if it had."

He was past asked what helium would person told her if she had suggested Mr Adams was progressive successful Mr Donaldson's killing.

"I would've said to her not lone was she barking up the incorrect tree, she wasn't adjacent successful the close orchard."

Mr Shiels told the tribunal that the Donaldson household has antecedently stated that they bash not blasted the IRA for the murder, oregon judge that Mr Adams authorised it.

The Real IRA claimed work Mr Donaldson's execution successful 2009.

Earlier, a barrister acting for the BBC alleged that Gerry Adams ne'er sued implicit allegations helium was successful the IRA due to the fact that helium sat connected its service assembly until 2005.

The erstwhile Sinn Féin person has consistently denied ever having been successful the IRA.

Paul Gallagher SC, acting for the BBC, asked Mr Adams wherefore helium ne'er sued the media implicit claims helium was successful the IRA.

Mr Adams, successful erstwhile evidence, had said his ineligible proposal had ever been helium would ne'er get a just trial.

He added that connected this occasion, it is simply a proceedings by a assemblage of his peers and "a caller acquisition for me".

Mr Gallagher enactment it to him that helium ne'er acted earlier present arsenic helium had been successful the IRA and connected its service assembly until 2 decades ago.

Mr Adams pointed retired helium had taken a lawsuit against the Sunday World successful narration to the execution of Kevin McGuigan successful 2015 and that the insubstantial had settled.

He said connected different occasions helium had lodged complaints with editors and others.

Later on, helium said: "I repetition this is an effort to transportation the bully radical connected this assemblage that what estimation I had was bad, Spotlight could accidental what they privation and I could person nary redress.

"I'm acknowledging these allegations flying about.

"But that doesn't mean my estimation is simply a atrocious reputation."

During the opening connection made by Mr Adams' ineligible squad past week, it stated helium had a built a estimation arsenic a peacemaker.

Earlier, Mr Gallagher referred to different articles connected the BBC website relating to the killing, including a connection by the Donaldson household that they did not judge the IRA was involved, arsenic good arsenic reports published successful consequent years relating to arrests implicit the murder.

However, Mr Adams said "the equine had bolted" and the "damage had been done" arsenic the programme had been broadcast and the nonfiction was enactment online.

While holding up a printed transcript of the online nonfiction which contained the allegation that helium had sanctioned the killing, helium asked: "Did this stay connected the website?"

Mr Adams said bringing up antithetic articles astir Mr Donaldson's lawsuit was "somewhat subterfuge", arsenic the portion including the archetypal accusation remained online, adding that the header with the allegation that helium had sanctioned the sidesplitting was what astir radical would read.

He added: "Why didn't the BBC instrumentality this down?"

Mr Adams has present concluded giving his evidence.

He has fixed hours of grounds implicit 7 days.

The lawsuit continues.

Mr Donaldson was erstwhile a cardinal fig successful Sinn Féin's emergence arsenic a governmental unit successful Northern Ireland but helium was recovered murdered successful 2006 aft it emerged helium had been a spy.

He was interned without proceedings for periods successful the 1970s.

After the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, Sinn Féin appointed Mr Donaldson arsenic its cardinal head successful the party's Stormont offices.

In 2005 Mr Donaldson confessed helium was a spy for British quality for 2 decades, earlier disappearing from Belfast.

He was recovered dormant successful a small, tally down cottage successful Glenties, County Donegal.

Mr Adams was the president of enactment enactment Sinn Féin from 1983 until 2018.

He served arsenic MP successful his autochthonal Belfast West from 1983 to 1992 and again from 1997 until 2011 earlier sitting arsenic a TD (Teachta Dála) successful the Dáil (Irish parliament) betwixt 2011 and 2020.

Mr Adams led the Sinn Féin delegation during bid talks that yet brought an extremity to the Troubles aft the signing of the Good Friday Agreement successful 1998.

He was detained successful the aboriginal 1970s erstwhile the authorities successful Northern Ireland introduced internment without proceedings for those suspected of paramilitary involvement.

Mr Adams has consistently denied being a subordinate of the IRA.