State Papers 1987: Adams was working on peace strategy in 1987

Gerry Adams was working on a peace strategy in early 1987, State papers have revealed.

The Sinn Féin president privately believed that the IRA campaign would not succeed and that terrorism was hampering his personal ambitions and his attempts to win support for the party at the ballot box.

The previously unseen report, released under the 30-year rule by the Department of Foreign Affairs, in Dublin, said Mr Adams viewed the armed struggle as a “political liability”.