Adams suspends seven members from party

Seven members of Sinn Féin have been immediately suspended from the party following allegations that they were involved in the murder of Robert McCartney, party President Gerry Adams said tonight.

Mr Adams said he was informed the seven were immediately suspended after he made inquiries about a list of republicans the McCartney family said were involved in the stabbing and beating of their brother and another man in a bar on January 30.

“As party president I immediately instructed the leadership of Sinn Féin in Belfast to establish if any of those named by the family were members of Sinn Féin,” he said.

“I was informed that seven of those named are members. All were immediately suspended from the party. This is on a without prejudice basis.”

The West Belfast MP said if the seven were found to have been involved in events surrounding the death of the fork lift driver once the case had gone through the proper legal process, the party would take further internal disciplinary action to expel them.

They would also be expelled if they do not provide truthful accounts about what happened, he insisted.

Mr Adams’ warning followed last week’s announcement from the IRA that it had kicked out three members of its organisation following an internal investigation into Mr McCartney’s murder.

The suspensions came on the eve of Sinn Féin's three-day annual conference in Dublin.

The party had hoped to be celebrating electoral successes on both sides of the Irish border and its centenary this year at the conference which kicks off tomorrow evening.

However, the murder of Robert McCartney and claims that the IRA also carried out the Northern Bank robbery have cast a shadow over the weekend conference.

Mr Adams said tonight he was “deeply angry” about the alleged involvement of a number of republicans in the killing.

“I believe that I am speaking for the broad republican constituency in publicly articulating my outrage and anger at what has happened,” the Sinn Féin leader said.

“All of those involved in this horrific incident must make themselves fully accountable for their actions. Nothing short of this is acceptable.

“I have made clear my support for the family in their search for justice and have called upon those involved in the killing and others with information about the killing to bring this forward.”

Mr Adams said Sinn Féin, as a political party, was not in a position to carry out an investigation into the allegations against seven of its members which would adequately establish the facts.

He said: “All of these people have been personally instructed to provide full and frank statements.

“I reiterate that anyone with any information should make this available to the courts. I have given this statement to the family and to a solicitor.

“Although I stress that Sinn Féin has no basis to make any allegations against any of the suspected members at this time and some or all may be innocent of any offence, I have instructed the solicitor to pass the names given to me by the McCartney family to the Police Ombudsman (Nuala O’Loan).”

Republicans have been loathe to ask witnesses to the murder to come forward with information directly to the police because they do not accept Northern Ireland’s new policing arrangements.

However they have urged eye witnesses to give statements to solicitors. Ms O’Loan has also offered to help the investigation.

In the initial aftermath following the murder, the IRA was accused by the McCartney family of shielding members who were involved in the murder and the subsequent clean up and cover up operation which took place in the bar.

In a newspaper interview today, senior republican Gerard ‘Jock’ Davison denied ordering the murder and insisted he was trying to diffuse a row in the bar which escalated.

Mr Davison, who was questioned about the murder and later released, said he did not believe there had been intimidation and insisted he supported the family’s quest for justice.

Robert McCartney’s sister Catherine responded that Mr Davison should try to clear his name in the courts rather than through a newspaper.

Mr Davison would also not be drawn on claims that he was one of the three IRA members expelled following the murder.