Republican News · Thursday 7 August 2003

Adams death threat

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has pledged that a death threat from dissident republicans will not deter him from his work in the peace process.

The West Belfast MP was not at home when members of the PSNI called on Friday 1 August, but the information was passed on to his wife.

Speaking to An Phoblacht, Adams said that he had to take the threat seriously but that he would not be intimidated from representing those who elected him or the wider group of people who support the peace process.

"Some of these groups are so heavily infiltrated that it is hard to know who is pulling whose strings or indeed if there is a real threat," he said. "The reality of it all is let's keep the focus on the big picture, which is to move this struggle forward, to move the peace process forward and not be deflected by anything."

Sinn Féin spokesperson on justice matters, Conor Murphy, said the minimalist nature of the information given to Gerry Adams by the PSNI about the threat on his life is a high profile example of an unacceptable situation that frequently arises.

"The PSNI call at the doors of republicans and nationalists and inform them their lives are in danger but they refuse to give any further details of the nature of the threat or the danger they believe you are in," he said.

Murphy said this policy is wrong and the principle when dealing with such threats should be maximum information and not minimum, which currently exists.

"Giving out the minimum information actually adds to the anxiety and worry for individuals under threat," he said.

Both so-called dissident republican groups have since denied targeting Adams, saying they are of the view that British dirty tricks were involved.