Ahern and Adams in war of words over IRA claim
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern publicly stated he had always assumed Gerry Adams was a member of the IRA.
In remarks that prompted a furious reaction from a "flabbergasted" Sinn Féin president, Mr Ahern said he would be surprised if Mr Adams hadn't been in the IRA at some stage.
It was the first time Mr Ahern had publicly linked Mr Adams to the IRA. The Sinn Féin leader has always emphatically denied he was in the Provisionals, despite numerous references to his alleged leading role on the IRA's army council which have been made by political opponents and security forces over the years.
He has also strenuously rejected a claim he ordered the setting up of the highly secretive 'nutting squad' in Belfast in the early 1970s thought to be responsible for abducting and murdering Jean McConville.
Mr Ahern made a clear reference to the 1972 ceasefire negotiations between the IRA and then Northern Secretary Willie Whitelaw in London. Senior IRA negotiators insisted Mr Adams be released from internment to take part in the talks.
"He hardly became one of the chief negotiators at the time of Lenadoon, if he hadn't some fairly close association," said Mr Ahern.
The spokeswoman for the Government said last night the Taoiseach's comments did not form part of any agenda, as Mr Adams claimed, but that Mr Ahern had simply responded to a direct question put to him.
Mr Adams, whose hackles were clearly raised by Mr Ahern's comments responded forcefully by saying he was "flabbergasted".
"I am not and was not a member of the IRA," he maintained, before asking if the Taoiseach was following an agenda, or had made a slip of the tongue or a "Bertie-ism".
Sinn Féin also expressed anger last night about the Taoiseach's comments that the abduction of Bobby Tohill was carried out by four senior IRA members.
A senior party figure said Mr Ahern went much further in blaming the IRA than had the PSNI Chief Constable Huge Orde. He described the remarks as "unnecessary and unhelpful", and said it was timed for the eve of the party's Árd Fheis in Dublin.
"My view is that the Irish Government has taken a view that the crisis in the process is so severe unionism is now collectively in the 'No' camp that it does not envisage any resolution this side of the local and European elections," he said.
Sinn Féin has accused the Government of ratcheting up the pressure because of fears that Sinn Féin will make more electoral headway in the South. The senior figure acknowledged many political figures believe Mr Adams has been linked with the IRA, but said there was nothing new in the allegations.
"Bertie Ahern has been involved in continuous negotiations with Gerry Adams over six years. He never raised the issue before," said the senior figure.
Mr Ahern concluded: "I think the question that would be worth finding out, if you really got the answer, is what is the present membership of the [IRA] army council?"
